A Snail Farm Announces Robbery of €90K Value of Escargot
Thieves have stolen escargot worth €90,000 from a producer in the north of France that supplies high-end eateries.
L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in Bouzy, near Reims, stated that its complete inventory of fresh and frozen snails was stolen—a “real blow” just before the holiday season.
The intruders broke into the farm during the night leading to Monday, slicing through a border fence before accessing storage facilities.
Police were notified days after the incident, and officers are currently pursuing leads.
In the meantime, the business is striving to restock to meet holiday demand from customers.
Escargot: A Traditional French Gourmet Treat
Edible snails are considered a culinary specialty in France, usually cooked in garlic butter or wine before being removed from their shells.
Farmers in France typically experience a surge in sales during the month of December, as people treat themselves with the specialty for Christmas Eve and New Year’s celebrations.
“This is certainly not the type of announcement we thought we’d write as the holidays approach,” L'Escargot Des Grands Crus wrote in a message regarding the incident.
They continued to characterize the robbery as “surprising, an incomprehension, and a serious setback to the entire team,” noting, “We are doing everything possible to replenish our supplies to satisfy our customers for the holidays.”
Consequences of the Robbery
Images taken after the burglary show racks and freezers almost completely emptied of snail products.
“A whole section of finished products was taken from the warehouse, and raw material stock from my production area,” Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne commented.
“This represented my end-of-year stock… We had just the right amount to manage the holidays without any worries.”
This producer has previously supplied restaurants including award-winning restaurants in Reims, as well as delicatessens and private clients.
Currently, the farm is focused on bouncing back and making sure that end-of-year orders can still be met despite the major loss.
