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Thieves have stolen snails valued at ninety thousand euros from a producer in northern France that supplies gourmet restaurants.

The snail farm in Bouzy, near Reims, reported that its entire inventory of fresh and frozen snails was stolen—a “real blow” just before the festive period.

The intruders broke into the property during the night leading to Monday, cutting a border fence before entering storage facilities.

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

Meanwhile, the business is striving to replenish its supplies to satisfy holiday orders from customers.

Snails: A Traditional French Gourmet Treat

Edible snails are considered a French delicacy, usually prepared in garlic butter or wine before being removed from their shells.

Farmers in France often see a increase in sales during the month of December, as consumers treat themselves with the dish for Christmas and New Year’s festivities.

“This is certainly not the kind of post we expected we’d share as the festive season approach,” the farm stated in a statement regarding the incident.

They went on to describe the event as “a shock, bewildering, and a serious setback to the whole team,” noting, “We are trying our best to restock our inventory to satisfy our clients for the festive period.”

Impact of the Robbery

Images taken after the burglary reveal racks and freezers almost cleared out of snail products.

“An entire section of prepared goods was taken from the warehouse, and raw material inventory from my production area,” Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne explained.

“This represented my end-of-year stock… We had just the right amount to manage the holidays without any concerns.”

This producer has in the past provided restaurants including Michelin-starred restaurants in Reims, as well as delicatessens and individual customers.

Currently, the business is working hard to bouncing back and ensuring that end-of-year demand can still be fulfilled in spite of the major setback.