A Snail Farm Reports Robbery of €90,000 Worth of Snails
Burglars have stolen snails valued at ninety thousand euros from a producer in northern France that provides for high-end eateries.
L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in Bouzy, close to Reims, reported that its complete stock of both fresh and frozen snails was taken—a “major setback” just ahead of the holiday season.
The thieves broke into the farm during the night leading to Monday, cutting a perimeter fence before entering storage facilities.
Law enforcement were notified later in the week, and investigators are now on the trail.
In the meantime, the farm is striving to replenish its supplies to meet end-of-year orders from clients.
Snails: A French Delicacy
Escargot are regarded as a culinary specialty in France, typically cooked in garlic butter or white wine before being removed from their shells.
Farmers in France often see a increase in sales around December, as people indulge with the dish for Christmas Eve and New Year's Day festivities.
“This is certainly not the kind of post we expected we’d write as the festive season approach,” L'Escargot Des Grands Crus wrote in a message regarding the theft.
The statement continued to characterize the event as “a shock, bewildering, and a serious setback to the entire team,” adding, “We are doing everything possible to restock our inventory to meet the needs of our clients for the festive period.”
Consequences of the Robbery
Photos taken following the theft show racks and freezers almost completely emptied of snail products.
“A whole section of prepared goods was taken from the store, and unprocessed inventory from my production area,” Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne explained.
“This represented my end-of-year stock… We had precisely enough to manage the festive season without any worries.”
The farm has in the past provided restaurants including award-winning restaurants in the region, as well as specialty food shops and private clients.
At present, the business is working hard to bouncing back and making sure that holiday orders can still be fulfilled in spite of the major loss.
