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Summary of our market study
The French foie gras market is estimated at between €1 and €1.5 billion.
The world foie gras market is dominated by France, the main producer, consumer and exporter, and is estimated at 1.2 billion USD , with an average annual growth rate of 1.8%.
Europe accounts for over 90% of foie gras production. The sector employs over 50,000 people and generates sales of 4 billion euros in the EU. France is the leading producer and consumer, followed by Hungary and Bulgaria. French production represents a volume of 18,000 to 19,000 tons
French market leaders are agricultural cooperatives with a significant market share, followed by private agri-food groups and independent SMEs and VSEs.
Duck foie gras accounts for 95% of total production, and goose foie gras for 5%. Consumption is around 525 to 545 grams per purchasing household.
Around 40% of households consume foie gras. Average purchase frequency remains stable at around 1.6 times a year.
Sales in France peak during the festive season, with nearly 70% of French people citing foie gras as an essential product for a successful Christmas dinner.
French foie gras is mainly distributed through supermarkets and hypermarkets, which control around 70% of distribution.
The market faces challenges linked to ethical considerations and animal welfare concerns. Around a third of the French population refrains from buying foie gras for ethical reasons.
Dominant producers and niche artisans
- The Maïsadour and Euralis cooperatives are very present with their brands (Delpeyrat, Comtesse du Barry, Rougié, Montfort)
- Jean Larnaudie (LCA Holding)
- Valette Foie Gras
- Feyel Artzner,
- Valette Foie Gras
- PassionFroid (Groupe Pomona) is an air-conditioning distributor
- Major supermarket chains also offer private label products, making foie gras accessible to a wider public.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Market overview and definition
Foie gras is a specialty food product made from the liver of a duck or goose. Under French law, foie gras is defined as the liver of a duck or goose fattened by force-feeding corn through a feeding tube, a process also known as gavage. Ducks are force-fed twice a day for 12.5 days, and geese three times a day for around 17 days. Ducks are generally slaughtered at 100 days and geese at 112 days. In Spain and other countries, foie gras is sometimes produced using natural feed[Artisanfarmers].
Foie gras is one of the jewels in the crown of French gastronomy. It is traditionally eaten during the festive season. The foie gras market in France is structured around the processing and marketing of foie gras from palmipeds, mainly ducks and secondarily geese. It brings together palmiped breeders, specialized/general slaughterhouses and food processing companies that transform and package the livers into finished products.
France is by far the world's leading producer, consumer and exporter of foie gras. National production accounts for a very large share of European and even world production. However, the foie gras market faces a number of challenges: image and animal health, limiting its growth potential for years to come.
French foie gras production remained stable during the first half of the 2010s, before falling between 2016 and 2017. The following years were marked by production growth, which was quickly curbed by the health crisis.
It's also a concentrated market, dominated by a handful of agricultural cooperatives present across the entire sector. A few private groups occupy a secondary position. The remainder of production is dispersed among small, highly fragmented artisanal manufacturers.
The foie gras market is highly seasonal. As mentioned above, the majority of foie gras sales by the market's leading brands take place between November and December, during the festive season. However, the market's dynamism also relies on the ability of players to stimulate sales throughout the year, for example at catered events (corporate events, weddings, etc.)
1.2 The global foie gras market
Key figures for the world market
The foie gras market is mainly concentrated in Europe, the USA and China. However, the growing availability of foie gras is making it a popular dish in more and more parts of the world. Foie gras is considered a luxury ingredient, although foie gras produced ...
1.3 The foie gras market in France
Key market figures for France
In ****, France's production of goose and duck liver preparations and preserves totaled **,*** tons in volume[***]. In ****, France exported **% of its production, generating foreign sales of ** million euros.
Main export customer countries France, ****, in Source: ****
To meet domestic demand, *,*** tonnes of foie gras were imported in ****, up ...
1.4 The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the foie gras market
Foie gras did not enjoy a strong resilience to the Covid-**-induced health crisis. Indeed, Michel Fruchet, President of the Centre Interprofessionnel du Foie Gras, said: "With restaurants closed and no foreign customers in Paris for the whole summer of ****, consumption is down by **-**%. The cancellation of numerous events, and ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Demand for foie gras in France
French foie gras consumption
In ****, * out of ** French people will be eating foie gras. [***]
The majority (***) of foie gras is purchased as a semi-cooked product.
Foie gras purchase format France, ****, in % [FranceAgriMer Source: ****
Foie gras, a quality product that inspires confidence
For **% of French people, the "Foie Gras de France" logo ...
2.2 Seasonal consumption
The graph below shows the proportion of searches for the term "foie gras" in France, in relation to when it was most searched for (***). In recent years, demand has been highly cyclical, peaking at Christmas and New Year.
Evolution of interest for the search "foie gras" on Google France, ****-****, in ...
2.3 Producers face growing ethical concerns
This is one of the main drivers of the foie gras market in France. Households are the main purchasers of foie gras. Scientific reports, pleas from environmental or animal rights NGOs, or certain journalistic investigations are likely to have a significant and lasting impact on sales. Indeed, as the graphs below ...
3 Market structure
3.1 A production system concentrated in three regions
The foie gras production value chain
Source: ****
Geographical distribution of foie gras production
French foie gras production is based on foie gras palmiped farms, which are concentrated in three French regions: southwestern France (***) and Alsace. After the breeders, the next step in the value chain is the slaughterhouses and processing plants ...
3.2 A French market dominated by agricultural cooperatives
In ****, France will have no fewer than *,*** foie gras producers. The market is dominated by agricultural cooperatives with a broad portfolio of brands, which together account for over **% of the sector's total sales.
Other players, in order of importance, include
a few subsidiaries of mass retail groups producing foie gras for ...
3.3 Different distribution channels
The majority of national foie gras consumption is channeled through supermarket networks. In ****, *,*** tonnes were sold in hypermarkets and supermarkets, down *.*% on the previous year. For the **** festive season, supermarket sales were down **.*% in volume compared to the **** season, but only *% in value. This shows that the segment is holding up ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Typology and labels
Different products
Raw foie gras accounts for **% of supermarket sales, and processed foie gras (***) for **%.
Raw foie gras must still be cooked, prepared and seasoned within a week of purchase. It comes in three qualities: "extra", "premier choix" and "tout venant". Fresh foie gras has been lightly cooked (***) and is sold ...
4.2 Price ranges by segment type
The average consumer price of foie gras depends primarily on the type of palmiped from which the liver comes. Duck foie gras accounts for **% of total national production[***]. More expensive goose foie gras accounts for only *%. In fact, geese are more expensive to raise and force-feed than ducks.
The price then ...
4.3 New trends: foie gras without force-feeding
New ways to make foie gras
It's considered one of France's finest delicacies, but also one of its most controversial. Traditionally, foie gras is made by force-feeding geese to fatten their livers, a process described as cruel by animal rights groups. Today, however, French scientists have developed an alternative production method ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Controlling the composition of foie gras
As foie gras is an integral part of France's gastronomic and cultural heritage, it enjoys de facto legal protection as regards its composition and origin. The definition of foie gras-based products is set out in Decree no. **-*** of August *, **** on foie gras-based preparations à base de foie gras communicated by the ...
5.2 Designations and controls
Where foie gras comes from
Protected Geographical Indication (***). "Canard à foie gras du Sud-Ouest" has been in force since ****. According to European regulations, duck foie gras must weigh more than ***g.
A decree of December **, ****, amending the decree of August *, ****, introduced a mutual recognition clause. Foie gras preparations manufactured or marketed in ...
5.3 World customs nomenclature and harmonized system
The Harmonized System is an international nomenclature for product classification. It enables participating countries to classify traded goods on a common basis for customs purposes. At international level, the Harmonized System (***) for the classification of goods is a six-digit code system. [***]
The HS comprises around *,*** item/product descriptions, which appear as ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- Valette
- Feyel Artzner
- Conserverie artisanale Larroque
- Castel Foie gras
- Arcady’s Restauration
- Duperier et fils
- Labeyrie
- Jean Larnaudie Groupe
- AFG Foie Gras
- Pomona Groupe (Passion Froid)
- Comtesse du Barry
- Lou Castelou
- Pierre Laguilhon
- Euralis
- Delpeyrat
- Maïsadour
- Maison Biraben
- Pré aux Canards
- GODARD-CHAMBON ET MARREL
- Maison Dubernet (Groupe Bertrand)
- Lafitte Foie Gras
- Maison Montfort
- LE VIEUX CHENE
- Ernest Soulard
- Maison Dandieu
- Maison Sudreau
- Maison Paris
- Les Délices de Saint-Orens, Ferme de Jeansarthe
- Grolière
- Foie Gras Luxe - Foie Gras & Co
- Foie Gras Gourmet
- Euralis Gastronomie - Rougie Fois Gras
- Cavac Coopérative groupe
List of charts presented in this market study
- Breakdown of foie gras production
- Size of the foie gras market
- Foie gras production per animal
- Trends in consumption of duck and goose foie gras
- How to buy foie gras
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Latest news
Labeyrie on the offensive to counter the rise of private labels - 24/04/2024
- - Increase in the volume of private labels in supermarkets: +5% year-on-year (Circana barometer).
- - Increase in food prices over two years: +18.6%.
- - Labeyrie Fine Foods sales: 1 billion euros.
- - Share of plant-based ranges in sales: 20%.
- - International share of sales: 33%, with a particular focus on Great Britain, the Middle East (Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia) and Southeast Asia (with the opening of a subsidiary in Singapore).
- - Sales potential in the Middle East: up to 5% of sales.
Cavac creates a foie gras branch - 27/12/2023
- The Vendée-based cooperative group has just integrated another of its local cooperatives, Val de Sèvre, which specializes in duck for foie gras, magret and confits, exclusively for Delpeyrat.
- Val de Sèvre, which specializes in duck for foie gras, magret and confits, generated sales of €74 million in 2019.
- Val de Sèvre's sales fell to 34.6 million euros this year.
- Cavac, another player in the foie gras industry, has forecast sales of 1.2 billion euros for 2023.
- The 115 farmers of the Val de Sèvre cooperative produced 600,000 head of duck this year, compared with 2.8 million in the middle of the previous decade.
- With the acquisition of other cooperatives and a grain trader, the Cavac group has added 190 million euros to its sales.
Labeyrie to close its Boulogne-sur-Mer plant - 25/11/2023
- At the end of October, Labeyrie's plant in Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais), which has been in operation since 2013, announced its intention to cease operations for good.
- Specialized in the manufacture of sushi for the supermarket sector
- Market downturn and a decline in sales of over 60% between 2020 and 2022.
- An accumulation of difficulties
- A fire in 2019 ravaged the production workshop
- Labeyrie, headquartered in the Landes region of France, employs 2,300 people in France.
Cavac Biomatériaux's hemp insulation driven by decarbonization of the building industry - 19/09/2023
- Cavac The La Roche-sur-Yon-based agri-food cooperative Cavac grows only 2,000 hectares of hemp in the Vendée and Deux-Sèvres regions
- 200.000 hectares of potential cultivation
- Cavac Biomatériaux (60 employees) 23 million euros by June 30, 2023, transforms 15,000 tons of flax and hemp straw into insulating materials every year, and distributes its Biofib product to all retail outlets.
- A new 12,000 m2 plant is currently under construction in Sainte-Hermine, tripling the company's capacity.
- The investment represents 27 million euros.
- The AICB is the association representing French manufacturers producing materials for the construction market from plant biomass (wood, hemp, flax, straw, grass, etc.), animal biomass (sheep's wool) or recycling channels (paper, textiles).
- According to the AICB, the global market share of biobased insulation has almost doubled, rising from 6% to 11% in less than ten years.
Ernest Soulard reinvents his poultry farm - 15/09/2023
- 5 months of total production shutdown at Ernest Soulard
- 3 million euros investment in renovation
- 250 partner poultry farmers
- Loss of 1.2 million ducks, i.e. 75% of the flock
- Loss of business estimated at around one-third of sales by 2022
- Sales of 100 million euros in 2019
Foie gras: Maïsadour and Euralis abandon plans to merge - 04/09/2023
- Euralis and Maïsadour intended to merge their activities in the foie gras sector.
- The French competition authority (Autorité de la Concurrence) has opened an in-depth review of the transaction in 2022.
- The two cooperatives own four major brands: Delpeyrat and Comtesse Dubarry for Maïsadour, and Maison Montfort and Rougié for Euralis.
- A third cooperative, Lur Berri with its Labeyrie brand, is considered to be a competitor of comparable size.
- More than 20 million ducks were slaughtered last year due to various avian flu pandemics.
- Foie gras production was forecast at 12,000 tonnes in 2021, compared with almost 20,000 tonnes in normal times.
- Each company is owned by around 5,000 farmer-members, and each employs around 1,000 people in its respective subsidiary: Euralis Gastronomie and Delpeyrat for Maïsadour.
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the foie gras market | France
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