A Snail Farm Reports Robbery of €90,000 Value of Escargot

Thieves made off with snails worth ninety thousand euros from a producer in northern France that supplies gourmet restaurants.

L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in the Bouzy area, near the city of Reims, stated that its entire inventory of fresh and frozen snails was stolen—a “real blow” just ahead of the festive period.

The thieves gained entry to the farm during the night leading to Monday, slicing through a border fence before accessing farm buildings.

Police received a complaint later in the week, and investigators are currently pursuing leads.

Meanwhile, the farm is striving to restock to satisfy holiday orders from clients.

Escargot: A French Gourmet Treat

Escargot are considered a French delicacy, usually cooked in butter with garlic or white wine before being extracted from their shell.

Farmers in France often see a increase in demand around December, as consumers indulge with the specialty for Christmas and New Year's Day celebrations.

“This is certainly not the kind of post we thought we’d share as the festive season approach,” L'Escargot Des Grands Crus wrote in a message regarding the incident.

They went on to characterize the event as “surprising, an incomprehension, and a serious setback to the whole team,” noting, “We are doing everything possible to replenish our inventory to satisfy our clients for the festive period.”

Impact of the Theft

Images taken after the burglary show shelves and refrigerators almost completely emptied of snail products.

“An entire section of prepared goods was taken from the warehouse, and unprocessed inventory from my laboratory,” Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne explained.

“It was my holiday season inventory… We had just the right amount to manage the holidays without any concerns.”

The farm has in the past provided restaurants including Michelin-starred venues in Reims, as well as specialty food shops and individual customers.

Currently, the farm is working hard to bouncing back and making sure that holiday demand can still be fulfilled in spite of the significant loss.