The Foie Gras Market | France

Foie gras is one of the emblematic products of French gastronomy. It is traditionally consumed during the winter holiday season. The foie gras market in France is structured around the processing and marketing of palmipeds' livers, mainly ducks' then geese's. It gathers palmipedia breeders, specialised/generalists slaughterhouses and food companies which transform and condition livers into finished products.

France is, by far, the world's leading producer, consumer and exporter of foie gras. National production represents a very large part of the European and even global production. But, the foie gras market faces huge image challenges and animal health concerns, limiting its growth potential for the coming years.

It is also a concentrated market since some agricultural cooperatives operating throughout the supply chain dominate the market. Some private groups then occupy a secondary position. The remaining part of the production is very atomized, dispersed between small artisanal manufacturers.

The foie gras market is very seasonal. As stated above, the majority of leading brands' foie gras sales are made between November and December. However, the dynamism of the market also depends on the ability of players to stimulate sales throughout the year, for example during events involving the catering service (company events, weddings... etc.).