Food producer

Meet the beekeeping couple with 450 hives in their corner of France

How they turned their honey hobby into a full-time profession and have not looked back

Is it now safe to eat French oysters?

Producers have lost an estimated €7m, one farmer said, since a ban on December 27

Traditional Roquefort and Camembert are under threat, warn scientists

Cheese-lovers told they must learn to appreciate more diversity of tastes, colours and textures, sometimes within the same product to protect the cheeses’ future

Grub’s up: Insect farming for human food is French success story

How France has become a global leader in insect protein production and where you might eat it

The only cheese-makers in Ambert make mildest blue cheese in France

The creamy blue ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is lovingly made by these third generation dairy farmers

Clementines: The scent of Christmas in France

Around France over the Christmas period, French shoppers fill their baskets with Corsican clementines. We meet a passionate producer

Aligot: cheesy French comfort food famous for being remarkably stringy

A cross between mashed potatoes and cheese fondue is the traditional dish of the Aubrac - we explore the history and future of Aligot

Shoppers in France warned to pay attention to food packet claims

Report shows many common products are not in line with regulations

Fresh fish in the post - French fishing fleet cuts out the middleman

The ice-packed fish are sent anywhere in France and the boat-to-plate service is growing

France’s Carpentras strawberry crops bring juicy joy

One of the first French strawberries of the year, the ‘fraise de Carpentras’ is grown on the sunny Vaucluse plains

Adopt an oak tree in France and enjoy the truffles it produces

Founders say that they want to change the way truffles are sold, making the process more transparent

Say fromage! The best cheeses for National Cheese Day in France

The national day seeks to champion rare and raw milk cheeses from across the country: Here are some of the best

Why Roquefort is the true king of French cheeses

Casanova even said it was ideal for restoring love. We look at where the emblematic cheese comes from and how it is made

Go green: Meet the spirulina producer in France (who even sells soap)

Hugo Baudet produces spirulina at his farm La Plaine-sur-Mer in Loire-Atlantique

Quercy speciality saffron is really worth its weight in gold

Grower Françoise Laval has been picking prized crocus stigmas for 22 years and was one of the first to join the Safran du Quercy association

France to make up UK’s 1 million Christmas turkey shortfall

Labour and raw material shortages are becoming an issue across the Channel, supermarkets are reporting – but toy shortages could affect both the UK and France this December 25

Wholesaler accused of relabelling tonnes of Spanish veg as French

The fraud is known as ‘Francisation’. The wholesaler is suspected of relabelling boxes and invoices to sell Spanish produce to supermarkets at higher, French-grown prices

French Roquefort cheese producers fight low nutrition rating

The famous cheese has been labelled with a Nutri-score health rating of E, putting it on a par with crisps and fizzy drinks

French foie gras farmers invite Johnson to visit and not limit sales

The head of the foie gras trade body said the UK Prime Minister was wrong to remove people’s ‘freedom of choice’ over what they eat

Water limits in place in parts of France due to lack of spring rain

Surface level water deficits had already reached 60-80% in some areas, prompting water restrictions and drought fears - but rain is now forecast

French winemakers use fire and tea to protect vines amid record cold

Record low temperatures in the north, centre and east of France are set to continue until at least this weekend, prompting producers to take drastic action

French government issues warning over new food price battle

Food producers and distributors are locked in talks over prices as new transparency law comes into force

Camembert ruling ends 20-year cheese war - for now

Big-name producers banned from selling cheeses using 'Made in Normandy' label

France recalls dried meats after salmonella scare

People who have bought affected products are advised not to eat them and instead take them back to the original point of sale

French companies ‘not threatened’ by Middle East boycott

Calls to boycott French products in the wake of the row over Islamic cartoons are not a threat to French exports, business heads have said

France: Virus affects melons, cucumbers and courgettes

The virus, identified in the South of France, does not pose a risk to human health

Insecticide harmful to bees temporarily allowed in France

Neonicotinoids have been approved for three years to be used in growing sugar beet despite having previously been banned, mainly due to evidence that they are toxic for bees

Can camembert be made in other places or only Normandy?

A reader question, answered in The Connexion September print edition. Can camembert be made in other places in France, or only Normandy?

Petition against ‘half empty’ food packaging sold in France

A food association has launched a petition against what it calls the “scam” of selling “half empty” packets and packages of food in France, targeting seven big brands including Leclerc and Carrefour.

Seed library opens in south France to inspire local growth

A library in the south of France is to open a “seed library”, allowing borrowers to barter and exchange a wide variety of seeds, including for flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

Cheese shop in Paris vandalised by militant vegan activists

A cheese shop in Paris has been vandalised overnight by militant vegan activists, with explicit graffiti tags on the shop windows accusing farmers of being criminals.

France fines charcuterie industry €93m for price fixing

France has issued a fine of €93 million in total to 12 French “ham cartel” groups that have been found guilty of price fixing their charcuterie products in supermarkets, and working together to buy cheaper cuts.

This is France's 'most beautiful market' in 2020

A market in the coastal town of Dieppe (Seine Maritime, Normandy) has been named 2020’s "most beautiful market in France", according to a competition organised by news channel TF1 .

The history behind Provence's classic sweet treat: calissons

Calissons are very popular sweet treats from Provence. Connexion speaks to a notable producer of these oval-shaped, almond-based beauties.

Mince meat from Auchan and Lidl recalled in France

Check your fridges and freezers: Batches of minced meat sold at the supermarkets Auchan and Lidl have been recalled in France due to a possible risk of metal filaments being mixed up in the meat.

France bans word ‘steak’ on vegetarian products

The words "steak", "escalope" and "sausage" ( saucisse ) can no longer be used to describe meat alternatives made from vegetable proteins, according to a new French law.

France's cheese controversy: raw or pasteurised?

As a nation renowned for its love of cheese, France is in a pickle over one of its favourite products, as Lee McLaughlan reports.

Food producers sign pledge on ‘best before’ dates

Covid-19 could have positive impact on food in France

The Covid-19 crisis in France could have a positive impact on the nation’s eating and cooking habits long-term, analysts have said - as sales of local and organic rise, and home cooks become more creative.

Help farmers by still eating lamb this holiday

Farmers urge householders to still mark religious festivities during confinement even though family gatherings won't be happening

French food notes: Asian food sour not sweet in France

In our series providing a sideways glance at French food, we ask why the French accept mediocre Asian cooking

Pretty greens to adorn Michelin plates

Microgreens can be found adorning plates in many top eateries. The Connexion meets a leading producer of these exquisite small leaves – an Englishman in the Auvergne

French study: Food to have fewer ingredients in future

In the future, food will be more simple, have fewer ingredients, and be closer to homemade style, as consumers increasingly demand to know exactly what they are eating, a new French report has said.

Poll: French happy to cut meat intake but not dairy

The majority of the French public would like to reduce the environmental impact of their food, but would be more likely to cut their meat consumption than dairy to do so, a new survey has found.

Ban on chick culling in France by the end of 2021

The government said new methods were emerging that would make it possible to test the sex of embryos inside the egg

France shopping less at hypermarkets, says Auchan

French people are becoming less likely to shop at huge hypermarkets, retail group Auchan has said, as it announces some 677 “voluntary redundancies” and a new plan to revive its stores.