A Farm Announces Robbery of €90K Worth of Snails
Thieves made off with escargot valued at €90,000 from a farm in northern France that supplies gourmet eateries.
L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in the Bouzy area, close to 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 intruders broke into the property during the night leading to Monday, slicing through a border fence before accessing storage facilities.
Police were notified later in the week, and officers are currently pursuing leads.
In the meantime, the business is working to restock to meet holiday orders from clients.
Escargot: A French Delicacy
Edible snails are regarded as a French delicacy, usually prepared in butter with garlic or white wine before being removed from their shell.
Producers in France typically experience a increase in sales around December, as people treat themselves with the specialty for Christmas Eve and New Year's Day celebrations.
“This is certainly not the type of post we expected we’d write as the holidays approach,” L'Escargot Des Grands Crus wrote in a statement announcing the incident.
The statement went on to describe the event as “surprising, an incomprehension, and a real blow to the whole staff,” adding, “We are trying our best to replenish our supplies to meet the needs of our customers for the holidays.”
Consequences of the Theft
Photos taken following the burglary reveal racks and refrigerators almost cleared out of escargot items.
“A whole section of finished products was stolen from the warehouse, and raw material inventory from my production area,” the farm manager explained.
“This represented my end-of-year stock… We had just the right amount to manage the holidays without any concerns.”
The farm has previously supplied establishments such as award-winning venues in the region, as well as specialty food shops and private clients.
Currently, the business is focused on bouncing back and ensuring that holiday orders can still be fulfilled despite the major loss.
