• French snail farm hit by major theft ahead of holiday season

• Hundreds of kilograms of fresh and frozen snails stolen

A French media report said a snail farm was targeted this week in a theft worth over $100,000, prompting the owner to rush to replenish stock before the holiday season.

The farm posted on its Facebook page: "We didn’t expect to write this post just before the holidays. We were burglarized, and our stocks of fresh and frozen snails were stolen."

The family-run farm produces about 350,000 snails annually and prepares them "with the utmost care," according to its official website.

The farm, located in Bouzy in northeastern France, described the theft as "shocking, incomprehensible, and a heavy blow for the entire team."

French media reported that the thieves entered the farm unnoticed, broke into the buildings where the snails were kept, and cut the surrounding fence.

Inside, the thieves found shelves "filled with snails: in jars, fresh and frozen," according to the farm owner Jean-Mathieu Dufourgn, and photos after the theft showed the refrigerators almost empty.

Dufourgn added that some of the stolen stock was not ready for consumption, as the shells had not been cleaned and the accompanying butter was not prepared. "They can’t be eaten directly," he said.

The thieves stole approximately 450 kilograms of snails.

The farm plans to replenish its stock before Christmas and New Year, as 60% of its annual revenue comes during this period.

Since the theft, Dufourgn has managed to supply some restaurants, including Michelin-starred clients, with snails.

Other farmers have also stepped in to sell part of their stock to Dufourgn at reduced prices.

French farmer Alexandre Meyer from the Haute-Vosges region said: "We are ready to help him quickly so he can save his season."