the foie gras market | France

1.1 Presentation and definition of the market

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 about 17 days. Ducks are usually slaughtered at 100 days and geese at 112 days. In Spain and other countries, it is sometimes produced using natural feed [ Artisanfarmers ].

Foie gras is one of the jewels of French gastronomy. It is traditionally consumed during the end of year celebrations. The foie gras market in France is structured around the processing and marketing of palmiped foie gras, mainly ducks and secondarily geese. It brings together palmiped breeders, specialist/generalist slaughterhouses and food processing companies that transform and package the livers into finished products.

France is by far the leading producer, consumer and exporter of foie gras in the world. National production represents a very large share of European and even world production. However, the foie gras market faces many challenges: image and animal health, limiting its growth potential for the years to come.

It is also a concentrated market since a few agricultural cooperatives present throughout the sector dominate the market. A few private groups then occupy a secondary position. The remaining part of the production is dispersed among small, highly fragmented artisanal manufacturers.

The foie gras market is very seasonal. As stated above, the majority of foie gras sales of the market's leading brands are made between November and December, the holiday season. However, the dynamism of the market also relies on the ability of the players to stimulate sales throughout the year, for example during events that require the services of caterers (corporate events, weddings, etc.)