Buy caviar … but French

The introduction of caviar in France does not date from today. It was the White Russians, after the revolution of 1917, who imported the product into the country. Today, the caviar consumed in France comes mainly from China and Italy, but several farms in France resist and advocate 100% French know-how. Six of them produce caviar in Aquitaine, another in Sologne. And this French farmed caviar aims to compete in quality with its foreign competitors. Le Parisien gave an overview of the best French caviars.

With its Sturia brand, the Kaviar company, located in Saint-Loubès in Gironde, has positioned itself as the leader of the French market since its creation in 1990. The company supplies no less than half of the total production of the Aquitaine region. with 20 tonnes out of 40. Laurent Dulau, president of Kaviar, highlights “the chewiness, length and complexity of taste of Sturia caviars”. The three species of sturgeon baeri, osciètre and beluga reared on the main site based in Saint-Fort-sur-Gironde are fed without GMOs or animal proteins. Production must comply with rigorous specifications, guaranteed by the Caviar d’Aquitaine association which also includes the Caviar de France brands from Moulin de la Cassadotte, Prunier and Perlita.

Up to 10,000 euros per kilo

The prices of Sturia caviar start at 1,000 euros per kilo, or around 20 euros per small box of 20 g and can go up to 10,000 euros for a beluga, a species that requires more than ten years of breeding. .

Another company located in the eponymous village in Périgord, is considered a reference in Aquitaine. This is Neuvic’s caviar company. This twenty hectare farm takes care of four species of sturgeon, adding sevruga to the other three. Neuvic’s Caviar brand has a similar breeding approach to that of Sturia. It is based on eco-responsibility both in terms of the origin of the species and in terms of aquatic quality.

With the newspaper Le Parisien, Laurent Deverlanges, Caviar Director of Neuvic, created in 2011, assures us: his company is unique. “We are the only producers of Aquitaine caviar to feed sturgeons with food from organic farming. This label implies very strict requirements.” The price of Neuvic caviar is on average 2,000 euros per kilo.

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Finally, Sologne is the second sturgeon fish farming area in France. Since the 1970s, the Hennequart family farm in Saint-Viâtre has been producing it. With its Caviar de Sologne brand, which represents an annual production of four tonnes, the house only breeds baeri and osciètres. “Our objective is to practice breeding conditions close to natural”, explains Vincent Hennequart, director of the company.

A special feature: salting. It is a flavor enhancer after 48 hours, which distinguishes them in particular from Chinese caviar, which is often tasteless. The price of Sologne caviar is around 2,000 euros per kilo.