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Burglars made off with snails worth ninety thousand euros from a farm in the north of France that supplies high-end restaurants.

L'Escargot Des Grands Crus in Bouzy, near Reims, reported that its complete inventory of fresh and frozen snails was stolen—a “major setback” just ahead of the holiday season.

The intruders gained entry to the farm overnight into Monday, cutting a border fence before entering farm buildings.

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

In the meantime, the business is striving to restock to satisfy holiday demand from customers.

Snails: A Traditional French Delicacy

Edible snails are considered a culinary specialty in France, usually prepared in butter with garlic or wine before being extracted from their shell.

Farmers in France often see a surge in sales during December, as consumers indulge with the specialty for Christmas and New Year’s festivities.

“This is definitely not the kind of announcement we thought we’d share as the festive season near,” the farm stated in a message announcing the theft.

The statement went on to describe the robbery as “surprising, bewildering, and a serious setback to the whole staff,” noting, “We are trying our best to restock our inventory to satisfy our clients for the festive period.”

Consequences of the Robbery

Images captured following the theft reveal racks and refrigerators almost cleared out of escargot items.

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

“It was my holiday season inventory… We had precisely enough to get through the festive season without any concerns.”

This producer has in the past provided establishments such as award-winning venues in the region, as well as specialty food shops and individual customers.

At present, the farm is working hard to bouncing back and making sure that end-of-year orders can still be met despite the significant setback.