Nordic Snails is Denmark's largest farm with locally produced edible snails, raised exclusively in the city of Roskilde (30 km from Copenhagen) under controlled free-range conditions.
Entrepreneur Ditte Ankjærgaard, lives in Roskilde and loves snails. She is a big advocate of sustainable food, circular economy and tasty, locally produced ingredients. Snails are an alternative to other meats. They are very tasty, high in protein and low in fat.
When she first heard about this type of farming, she was immediately hooked on the idea. Free-range snail farming is new in Denmark. Several countries in Europe, under French leadership, have opened up to snail farming, including the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria - so why not Denmark?
In 2016 she started developing a prototype for a breeding concept and in 2017 she had her first flock. The snail I breed is called Voldsnegl (in Danish) and is often referred to as the "little brother" of the Burgundy snail, which is better known in France. The snail is smaller, has a nice, tender flesh and is well suited for Danish breeding, as it can reach adult size in just half a year. Exactly 5-5½ months from May to October. In October 2017 she had her first "harvest" of snails, which she mainly sold to restaurants. Throughout 2020 she has developed a retail product, canned tapas snails of various flavors that can be found on the shelves of quality supermarkets and delicatessens.
Snail farming takes place on a piece of land where horses have been grazing for decades. The farm is built for organic farming, but does not yet have the status of an organic farm. The farm is close to a protected marshland, a field and a forest. At the end of April, new small snails are released on the outdoor farm. Here they are well fed throughout the summer until they are ready to "harvest" in October.
The farm concept comes from France and was further developed in England. Now it has reached Denmark, where she opened her first farm with the help of her English mentor. She spent 6 years developing and refining products for the hospitality, restaurant and retail sectors. Nordic Snails can offer products of the same high quality. Their edible snails are uniquely tender and juicy - you have to try them if you have gourmet snail taste buds!
Manufacturer: Danske Frilandsnegle ApS, Bakkedraget 30, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
