French Snail Farm Announces Robbery of €90K Worth of Escargot
Burglars have stolen escargot valued at ninety thousand euros from a farm in the north of France that supplies high-end restaurants.
L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in the Bouzy area, near the city of Reims, reported that its complete inventory of fresh and frozen snails was taken—a “major setback” just ahead of the holiday season.
The thieves gained entry to the farm overnight into Monday, cutting a border fence before accessing storage facilities.
Law enforcement were notified days after the incident, and officers are currently pursuing leads.
In the meantime, the farm is striving to restock to meet holiday demand from customers.
Escargot: A French Delicacy
Edible snails are considered a culinary specialty in France, usually cooked in butter with garlic or white wine before being extracted from their shell.
Producers in France often see a increase in sales around the month of December, as people indulge with the dish for Christmas Eve and New Year’s celebrations.
“This is certainly not the kind of announcement we thought we’d write as the holidays approach,” the farm wrote in a message announcing the incident.
The statement continued to characterize the event as “surprising, an incomprehension, and a real blow to the whole staff,” noting, “We are doing everything possible to replenish our inventory to meet the needs of our clients for the festive period.”
Consequences of the Robbery
Photos captured following the theft show shelves and freezers nearly cleared out of escargot items.
“A whole section of finished products was taken from the store, and raw material inventory from my laboratory,” the farm manager commented.
“This represented my holiday season inventory… We had precisely enough to manage the holidays without any concerns.”
This producer has in the past provided establishments such as award-winning venues in the region, as well as delicatessens and private clients.
Currently, the farm is focused on bouncing back and ensuring that holiday demand can still be fulfilled despite the major setback.
