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

The snail farm in the Bouzy area, near the city of Reims, reported that its entire inventory of fresh and frozen snails was stolen—a “major setback” just before the holiday season.

The intruders broke into the farm overnight into Monday, cutting a border fence before accessing farm buildings.

Police received a complaint days after the incident, and investigators are currently pursuing leads.

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

Snails: A French Delicacy

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

Producers in France typically experience a increase in demand during December, as people indulge with the specialty for Christmas Eve and New Year’s celebrations.

“This is definitely not the kind of post we thought we’d share as the holidays approach,” L'Escargot Des Grands Crus stated in a statement regarding the theft.

They went on to describe the robbery as “surprising, bewildering, and a real blow to the entire staff,” adding, “We are doing everything possible to restock our supplies to satisfy our clients for the festive period.”

Consequences of the Robbery

Photos captured after the theft reveal racks and refrigerators nearly cleared out of snail products.

“An entire section of prepared goods was stolen from the store, and raw material stock from my laboratory,” the farm manager explained.

“This represented my end-of-year stock… We had precisely enough to get through the festive season without any worries.”

The farm has in the past provided establishments such as award-winning restaurants in the region, 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 met in spite of the major loss.