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Escargot de Crete: Ecological Snail Farming in Crete
Year-round open-air breeding of Cornu Aspersum snails among organic olive groves in Rethimno since 2010
Who is Escargot De Crete?
Escargot de Crete pioneers ecological snail farming on the island of Crete, breeding Cornu Aspersum snails year-round in open-air conditions among organically grown olive groves.
- Farm
- Founded 2010
- Crete, Latzimas, Rethimno, Greece
Where is Escargot De Crete located?
Crete, Latzimas, Rethimno, Greece
The story of Escargot De Crete
Escargot de Crete was founded in 2010 on the island of Crete by Dr Charalampos Kiagias.
The company is all about Cornu Aspersum (aka Helix Aspersa or common garden) snails, and their multiple beneficial properties for the human health. Like all Cretans, Dr Kiagias was born and raised in a place where these properties are known first hand and therefore these special creatures are highly valued by the inhabitants of the island for centuries.
In it's first year of operation the company created the first vertical unit for snail breeding and products in Greece. After that, many aqcuired the know-how that Escargot de Crete pionnered at, but Dr Kiagias wasn't content with the way greenhouses were limiting snails' contact with the sun, the rain and the natural flora. He started experimenting and the company moved on from the widely used by other companies snail farming methods.
Today Escargot de Crete breeds snails in nature with ecological farming principles. The snails live among organically grown olive trees. They come in direct contact with the sun, the rain, the wind and the soil of their natural habitat, but also with the organically grown olive groves and the natural flora of the island of Crete from which they get their unique characteristics.
It is an ecological farming with minimum environmental footprint. Farming resources are shared by both snails and olive groves and both organisms benefit from each other's presence.
What makes Escargot de Crete's snail breeding unique, is this ecological totally open air snail breeding and also the fact that it is possible year round, due to the location and the local climate.
How are the products made?
Escargot de Crete breeds snails in nature using ecological farming principles that prioritise the welfare of the animals and the environment. The snails live among organically grown olive trees, experiencing direct contact with the sun, rain, wind and soil of their natural habitat.
This totally open-air breeding approach is unique in the industry and is made possible year-round thanks to Crete's favourable location and climate. The farming model maintains a minimum environmental footprint, with resources shared between the snails and the olive groves in a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from each other's presence.
The philosophy reflects a deep respect for traditional Cretan understanding of snails' value, combined with modern ecological principles that allow these creatures to thrive as close to wild conditions as possible.
Provenance
Escargot de Crete raises Cornu Aspersum snails in the Latzimas area of Rethimno, on the island of Crete, Greece. The snails are bred entirely in open-air conditions among organically grown olive trees, maintaining direct contact with the natural environment throughout their lifecycle.
The company's ecological farming model ensures that every snail benefits from the island's sun, rain, wind, soil and native vegetation, creating a product that is deeply rooted in the Cretan landscape.
Sustainability
Escargot de Crete operates an ecological farming model with a minimum environmental footprint. The snails and olive groves share farming resources in a symbiotic relationship, with both organisms benefiting from each other's presence.
The totally open-air breeding system eliminates the need for energy-intensive greenhouses, while the organic cultivation of the olive groves ensures that the snails feed on vegetation free from synthetic inputs. This approach honours the natural cycles of the land and the creatures that inhabit it.
What makes Escargot De Crete distinctive?
The snails of Escargot de Crete draw their unique characteristics from the organically grown olive groves and the natural flora of the island of Crete. Living in direct contact with the sun, rain, wind and soil of their natural habitat, they feed on the vegetation that thrives in Rethimno's Latzimas area.
Crete's favourable location and climate enable year-round open-air breeding, a practice that would be impossible in many other regions. The island's native flora and the organic olive groves provide a diverse diet that imparts distinctive qualities to the Cornu Aspersum snails raised here.
Producer collection
Available products from Escargot De Crete
Escargot De Crete Snail Fillets in Cretan Olive Oil - 90g Jar
EL2126
Cretan snail fillets packed in extra virgin Cretan olive oil with lemon and sea salt, ready to serve straight from the 90g jar.
Escargot De Crete Snail Fillets in Cretan Olive Oil with Lemon and Thyme - 90g Jar
EL2127
Cretan Helix Aspersa snail fillets packed in extra virgin Cretan olive oil with fresh lemon and thyme, in a 90g glass jar without preservatives.
Escargot de Crete Snail Fillets in Cretan Olive Oil, Vinegar & Rosemary - 90g Jar
EL2128
Cretan snail fillets prepared with extra virgin Cretan olive oil, vinegar and rosemary, from Escargot de Crete, in a 90g jar with 52g drained weight.
Escargot de Crete Snail Fillets Meze in Cretan Olive Oil, Garlic and Parsley - 90g Jar
EL2129
Ready-to-eat Cretan snail fillets in extra virgin olive oil with garlic, parsley, onion and Cretan wine, in a 90g glass jar, inspired by escargots de bourguignon.
PANACEA3 Face Cream from Snail Secretion Gold Line 30ml - Cretan Snail Mucin, All Skin Types
EL2130
A face cream from Escargot de Crete (Crete, Greece) containing snail secretion filtrate, formulated for all skin types in a 30ml jar.
€120.00 excl tax
excluding shipping
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What does Escargot De Crete produce?
Escargot de Crete specialises in products derived from Cornu Aspersum snails, bred ecologically in open-air conditions among the organic olive groves of Crete.
Primary ingredients and output
The company is all about Cornu Aspersum (aka Helix Aspersa or common garden) snails, and their multiple beneficial properties for the human health.