The truffle market - France (2025)

1.2 A global market still dominated by Europe

In ****, the global truffle market was estimated at $*.* billion, with projected growth of over *.*% per year between **** and ****. This dynamic is driven by therise of high-end gastronomy, growing consumer interest in exclusive food products and the development of tourism around truffle hunting. at this rate, the value of the market should reach $*.* billion by ****.

Global truffle market size World, ****-****, US$ million Source: ****

Truffles have become a key ingredient in gourmet cuisine, particularly in Michelin-starred restaurants and delicatessens. Demand is driven by consumers' attraction to premium culinary experiences, where truffles are used in refined dishes such as pasta, risotto, meat and seafood. This move upmarket is also driving thegrowth of truffle-based processed products, such as oils, sauces and seasonings, which make this ingredient more accessible while preserving its luxury image.

The growing interest in truffles is accompanied by new commercial opportunities, notably with the development of advancedthe growing interest in truffles is accompanied by new commercial opportunities, notably with the development of advanced preservation methods (***) to extend the product's shelf-life and widen its distribution. In addition, the development of innovative cultivation techniques offerssolutions for increasing worldwide production and reducing dependence on wild truffles. in France, for example, growers are experimenting with ...

1.3 The French market, an increasingly contested world leader

According to FranceAgriMer,** tons of truffle preserves were produced in **** by some twenty truffle canners, representing total sales of ** million euros.

We now turn to the Prodcom data provided by Eurostat, using the code [***] which corresponds to the following description: "Dried mushrooms and truffles, whole, cut, sliced, broken or in powder, but not further prepared". Figures vary from year to year, but there has been a steady increase since ****, from **.** million euros to **.** million euros in **** and ** million euros in ****.

Value of truffle and dried mushroom production France, **** to ****, in millions of euros Source: ****

****

less than *** tonnes

Black truffle harvests in France In tons Source: ****

The sector is hard to pin down, with a multitude of small entrepreneurs operating forests or farms and selling their products on specialist markets. According to Terre de Truffes, there are some **,*** truffle growers in France, but truffle cultivation is still awaiting a degree of professionalization.

However, this is a niche market in which the players are essentially present out of passion and tradition. In France, the president of the Fédération Française des Trufficulteurs since ****, Michel Tournayre, tells Challenge that "for **% of people, truffle production is above all a supplement to their ...

1.4 Foreign trade in truffles

Truffles and mushrooms

The data below are obtained from code [***], which includes mushrooms and truffles. It is therefore larger than our market, but gives an idea of trends in the truffle market.

The trade balance for truffles and mushrooms in France, from **** to ****, reveals a downward trend in imports, from **.** million USD in **** to **.** million USD in ****. Exports follow a similar trajectory, decreasing from **.** million USD in **** to **.** million USD in ****. This trend suggests a reduction in international trade in truffles and mushrooms.

Trend in truffle imports to France France, ****-****, in millions of USD Source: ****

French truffle and mushroom imports come mainly from China, which accounts for **% of French imports. India is the *nd largest exporter of truffles to France, accounting for *.*% of French truffle imports in ****.

French truffle imports by country of origin France, ****, in Source: ****

Finally, France exports to a large number of countries. Among these, the United States accounts for **.*% of total exports. The United Kingdom accounts for around **.*% and other countries for no more than *.**%.

French truffle export countries France, ****, in Source: ****

Truffles

We can take into account French customs data to judge France's truffle trade balance. For data up to ****, we consider the code [***] from ...

2.1 A seasonal luxury product

This is a luxury micro-market in which margins are maintained by demand driven by top restaurateurs wishing to work with the product, or by wealthy French and foreigners associating this product with culinary luxury.

Demand for truffles is also subject to significant seasonal variations, with demand generally peaking during the festive season. This increased demand in November and December by individuals is due to the production process of a truffle, which reaches maturity at the end of the year, but also to the popularity of this local food during end-of-year meals.

This seasonality is backed up by Google, which shows(***) the search rates for the keyword "truffle" over the last four years.

Search for the keyword "truffle" on Google in France Source: ****

N.B.: the values in this graph are relative: a value of ** indicates that, to date, there have been half the number of searches recorded on the day when the record number of searches was reached over the period studied.

There is a clear seasonal pattern around the end-of-year festivities.

2.2 Stable demand

Demand for truffles has continued to rise since ****, according to France AgriMer.

Since the beginning of the **th century, a collapse in truffle production could have led to the disappearance of the industry. In fact, production has fallen from over *,*** tonnes a year to less than ** tonnes, mainly due to the two world wars, which took truffle growers away from their truffle fields, and the rural exodus and desertification of the countryside, which also explain the slow disappearance of truffles. However, demand has not diminished, and this very low supply/demand ratio has contributed to giving truffles their luxurious character. Today, demand is said to be ** times greater than production, which partly explains the high prices of this local product, which occupies a key position at the heart of French gastronomy.

In France, demand has been constant in recent years, indicating a stable consumption trend that is far from weakening, despite the chronic drop in production due to drought. It is estimated that around ** tonnes of truffles are consumed in France every year, a large proportion of which have to be imported.

2.3 Consumer preference for Made In France and local products

Although French truffles have to contend with Spanish truffles, which are heavily imported into France, they have a strong national and international selling point: Made in France. Positioned in a luxury segment where quality and reputation tend to take precedence over all other characteristics, French truffles have the advantage of appearing as an exceptional local product. The "Made in France" label is often seen as a guarantee of quality.

**% of consumers say they buy products made in France, reflecting a marked tendency to support the local economy and a preference for domestically produced products. This predominance reflects a growing awareness of the economic, environmental and quality benefits associated with Made in France products.

Distribution of French people according to their consumption habits concerning Made in France products France, ****, % of total Source: ****

** %of respondents expresstheir desire to increase their consumption of products made in France. This trend reflects consumers' growing commitment to national products.

French desire to consume more Made In France products France, ****, % of total Source: ****

The chart showing the most popular Made in France product categories in **** reveals a clear consumer preference forfood productswhich dominate, with** % of responses. This predominance suggests that consumers strongly associate quality and confidence ...

3.1 Many small producers and a few powerful independents

According to France AgriMer (***), annual truffle production in France is estimated at less than *** tonnes, divided between three main geographical zones grouping together seven main regions. These zones are

Center and South-West, including the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Centre-Val de Loire regions. South-East, encompassing Occitanie, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (***) region and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, with a high concentration of production in departments such as Drôme and Vaucluse. Centre-Est, which includes Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand Est.

Some **,*** truffle growers are involved in production, **-**% of whom are not professional farmers. This activity covers a total surface area of around **,*** hectares, spread over ** French départements, with an annual average of *,*** hectares planted. To support this activity, ***,*** truffle plants aresold each year in France by ** approved nurserymen. However, truffle-growing remains a long-term activity: truffles can only be harvested ** to ** years after planting.

Yield figures vary widely. Truffle beds produce between *.* kg and ** kg of truffles per hectare, depending on climatic conditions, soil and cultivation practices. Truffle prices fluctuate between €*** and €*,***/kg, reflecting the quality of the product, its scarcity on the market, and seasonality. [***]

A value chain dominated by historical and family players

The French truffle market is structured around powerful, often independent players who have ...

3.2 A multitude of local markets alongside a few franchises and a nascent online business

According to the French Truffle Federationin ****:

**% of production is sold on wholesale markets **% on retail markets in nearly *** markets, **% to **% directly (***)

Truffles are marketed in France mainly by small local players present in the markets as follows Terre des Truffesmajor truffle towns: the Carpentras market, in the Périgord region, but also in the Dordogne, Montagnac, Montpezat, Valréas and Richrenches. In these markets, small local producers sell truffles directly to the end consumer.

A number of franchises are also expanding in France. One of the best-known is the Signorini franchise, which can also be found online. There are also the less specialized Comtesse du Barry franchises, which also sell products such as foie gras, caviar and smoked salmon.

Buying truffles online is also possible on the online platforms of La Comtesse du Barry and the Valette website, for example. Many local producers have also launched their own online stores to bridge the distance between potential consumers and the local physical market, but also to reach a wider audience.

3.3 Harvesting truffles

The high price of truffles is due not only to their rarity, but also to the way they are harvested: even today, truffles are harvested by hand, often with the help of truffle dogs and pigs, trained to find truffles buried underground.

Pigs have long been used because of their natural predisposition to finding truffles, which give off a scent that reminds the animal of its fellow creatures. However, they consume the truffles once they've dug them up. Pigs must therefore be muzzled before being used to harvest truffles.

Today, the most commonly used animal is the dog. All breeds of dog can be used, since it's the sense of smell that counts, and no breed is predisposed to the search for mushrooms. It should be noted that a hunting dog (***) will be a poor truffle dog, as it will be distracted by the smells of game in the forest when searching for mushrooms. However, a breed of dog known as the Lagotto Romagnolo or Romagnolo Water Dog stands out for its truffle-finding skills. [***]

The dog must be trained to sniff out truffles, mark the ground or dig them up without damaging them. He must be calm, obedient and enjoy tracking ...

4.1 The main truffle categories

There are many types and species of truffle, the main ones being listed in a November **** Indexpresse article entitled "Savoir parler de la truffe et de ses produits dérivés":

4.2 Price volatility

The price of a truffle on the market depends on its size, quality and species. The price range can vary from €** to several thousand euros, making it a luxurious product.

Source: ****

Truffle prices fluctuate according to market rates, which are governed by supply and demand. There is a tendency for prices to rise around the end-of-year festivities, in line with the renewed interest in truffles on Google at this time, as well as when the seasons are poor for truffle harvesting.generally speaking, as the product and harvests become rarer each year, as indicated in the market section, prices can sometimes vary upwards.

For example, among fresh Alba white truffles, a white truffle weighing just over * kg was sold for ***,*** euros (***) at an auction in Alba in ****[***]. The reduction in the harvest in recent years has in fact generated exceptional growth in its price, which averages €*,*** and €*,*** per kilo.

The price of black truffles, meanwhile, varies between €*** and €*,*** per kilogram, according to truffenoire.info and the table above. As the ****-**** season was particularly bad due to drought, prices skyrocketed from December **** onwards, compared to the previous season, which was particularly bad due to drought. the previous season, which on the ...

4.3 The success of Spanish truffles

Truffle cultivation in France is under increasing attack from stiff competition from Spain. For the past six years, that neighbor's production has outstripped that of France, which at best harvests only half of what it consumes, according to the Fédération Française des Truficulteurs. Spain's very recent truffle production almost systematically benefits from boreholes for irrigation. Direct sales by Spanish producers, most often via the Internet, are an attractive alternative. [***]

Spain has one of the world's largest truffle-growing areas, with almost **,*** ha in ****.

The various estates are located in Aragon, and are the result of substantial investment, partly financed by the European Union, to prepare the land and ensure good irrigation. Yields appear to be around ** kg/ha. By ****, Spain will be the undisputed market leader for black truffles. [***]

The majority of this production is destined for the French market. The main outlets for these Spanish harvests are in fact French chefs, surely proof of their similar quality to French truffles. [***]

It is important to note, however, that the country suffers from the same difficulties as France with regard to global warming. Indeed, although Spain has become the world's leading producer of truffles, dethroning France, the current season is ...

4.4 Towards French production of Italian white truffles?

While black truffles now account for **% of French production, an innovation has opened up the possibility of developing the Tuber magnatum Pico sector, also known as the Piedmont white truffle or Italian white truffle. Indeed, after nine years of research, a collaboration between scientists atINRAE (***) and Robin Nurseries has resulted in the first plantings enabling its cultivation in France, with successful harvests as early as ****. Results published in **** have confirmed the viability of this crop, paving the way for French - and potentially global - production in regions where this truffle has never grown before.

At present, white truffles are harvested mainly in Italy and certain Eastern European countries, generating an estimated *** million a year across Europe. This figure could rise significantly in the years to come if cultivation expands. Michel Tournayre, President of the French Truffle Growers' Federation (***), emphasizes that this breakthrough could transform truffle growing into a more stable and professionalized activity, enabling the industry to grow its own truffles. more stable and professionalized, enabling truffle growers to exploit several truffle varieties and diversify their harvests throughout the year. This adaptation is all the more relevant in a climatic context where droughts are weakening black truffle production, prompting restaurateurs ...

4.5 Cultitruffe, a new supply trend

The truffle market in France is undergoing radical change, driven by national demand that far exceeds available supply. By ****, French truffle consumption is estimated to be twice as high as national production, forcing growers to rethink their methods to increase yields and reduce the time needed for the first harvest. Traditionally, truffle production took between eight and ten years to achieve a significant first harvest. However, after twenty years of experimentation, Thierry Gauché, a French truffle grower, has developed an innovative technique enabling truffles to be produced in just three and a half to four years, thus considerably reducing the production cycle.

The major innovation lies in the use of the Cultitruffe, a tool specifically designed to aerate the soil. Its ** cm claws perforate the soil, encouraging the truffle oak roots to breathe and improving their ability to capture nutrients. In addition to this aeration, the tool creates an air mattress that reduces soil temperature by three degrees compared to bare soil, thus helping the truffle oaks to absorb nutrients. this helps to maintain humidity and limit the effects of drought, which is becoming increasingly frequent with global warming. This type of innovation is essential at a time when French truffle ...

5.1 A sector supervised and supported by the public authorities

In ****, a decree on the marketing and quality control of truffles was issued: since then, quality requirements linked to the fresh state of the truffles produced, as well as labeling for marketing, are the most important regulatory conditions concerning quality control. Labelling must indicate the name of the species, the country of origin and the weight of the product. The term "truffle" is therefore subject to a set of rules and criteria that must be met by the producer to avoid being accused of fraud. There is, for example, a Chinese truffle that is rarely distributed. although "*** times less expensive" than the Périgord truffle, it also has considerably less taste. It is often fraudulently mixed with a European truffle.

In ****, a decree established the common and scientific names of truffles.

In ****, the Fédération Française des Producteurs de Truffes received a grant of **,*** euros for regional experimentation.under the impetus of the current French President, an industry project was submitted in **** by French truffle growers to professionalize the sector. In addition, via INRA, the truffle sector has at its disposal public funding of €***,*** a year for research on fifteen experimental plants, to better understand the water requirements of ...

5.2 Truffles fall victim to their own success: truffle products without truffles

French regulations stipulate that French products bearing the name "truffle" must contain more than *% truffle. What's more, the label on truffle products must also indicate the type of truffle used (***) because prices vary according to the type of truffle used, consumers must have access to clear information. However, in December ****, the magazine ** Millions de Consommateurs conducted a survey of some thirty truffle-based products to determine the true proportion of truffle they contained. Pasta and risotto manufacturers are particularly bad pupils according to ** Millions de Consommateurs, since none of them exceeds *% truffle in the product: pasta Di Angelo with white truffle, for example, is said to contain just *.****% truffle, too little to be truly noteworthy. Risottos also contain little truffle, and often add artificial flavoring to compensate(***). Some brands play on the distinction between the white summer truffle and the white Alba truffle, two varieties of white truffle with very different prices, thus misleading the consumer. It is possible to find good-quality truffle products, but it seems clear that regulations are not sufficiently respected in this market, to the detriment of the consumer. What's more, so-called "truffle-flavored" products often contain no truffle flavoring at all. The latter is generally synthesized or extracted ...

6.1 Segmentation

6.2 The analyst's eye

Context:

According to FranceAgriMer's January **** report, annual truffle production in France remains below *** tonnes, despite an increase in cultivated areas. There are some **,*** truffle growers in the sector, **-**% of whom are not farmers, illustrating the partly amateur nature of the industry.

Cultivation covers **,*** hectares, with *,*** hectares planted each year to renew production. However, yields remain highly variable depending on the region and the techniques employed, ranging from *.* kg to ** kg per hectare per year, underlining the challenges associated with cultivation and dependence on climatic conditions.

Main trends:

trend *: Prices fluctuate according to quality and season: truffle prices will vary between €*** and €*,***/kg in ****, influenced by quality, rarity and seasonality. Strong demand at the end of the year and weather conditions have a direct impact on market prices.

*nd trend: Truffle harvests reach an all-time high in ****/****. After several years marked by irregular production and sharply declining harvests, ****/**** marks an all-time record with ** tonnes of truffles harvested in France, a level not seen for over a decade. This spectacular increase, compared with ** tonnes in ****/**** (***), can be explained by more favorable weather conditions and better truffle management, notably through optimized irrigation techniques and gradual plantation renewal.

trend *: Falling production leads to ...

• La Maison Pebeyre
• Maison Baumont
• Truffe Extra France
• Artisan de la Truffe (Bertrand Groupe)
• Truffe France
• Plantin
• Signorini Tartufi
• Comtesse du Barry
• Domaine du Grand Merlhiot
• Ferme de Pourcier
• Alena Truffe
• Le Soleil de Carpentras