Oysters increasingly popular in Switzerland
Published: Monday, Dec 11th 2023, 09:50
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The oyster is slowly but surely conquering the Swiss market. Previously only found in delicatessens, the gourmet shellfish can now even be found at local Christmas markets.
According to figures from the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), around 551 tons of live oysters were imported into Switzerland in 2022. This is an increase of 16% compared to 2018. After a decline due to the Covid pandemic, consumption has also recovered and sales of the precious shellfish amounted to almost CHF 5 million in 2022.
However, at 62 grams per capita last year, which is roughly equivalent to a small oyster, Swiss consumers still lag far behind their French neighbors. In France, over a kilo of oysters are eaten per capita in a year.
Oysters at the Christmas market
But the trend is upwards: "I've been selling oysters at the Christmas markets for the third year now and business is going very well," says Lionel Billard, who runs an oyster stall at the Geneva Christmas market on the Quai du Mont-Blanc. There is still a lot of resistance from people, for example in terms of appearance and consistency. "But there is also a lot of curiosity and many people are trying oysters for the first time," says Billard.
Retailers are also seeing an increase in demand: "The trend is rising, even if it is difficult to compare the last few years due to coronavirus," confirms a Migros spokesperson. At Manor, the figures are stable overall, but here too there has actually been an increase in sales of oyster specialties in the upper price segment.
On a seasonal level, it is of course the Christmas period when oysters take center stage. More than half of production is sold between December and January.
For example, Farmy, an online farm store specializing in sustainable food, now offers a dozen oysters from the French Atlantic coast for home delivery for 30 francs. Farmy was founded in Zurich in 2014 and now also has a location in Lausanne.
More French people in Zurich
Of course, demand within Switzerland still varies greatly depending on the region. In western Switzerland, for example, this is much stronger in the Lake Geneva region than in the mountains, confirms the Manor spokeswoman. However, this statement applies in principle to all seafood.
"In French-speaking Switzerland, our customers like to eat fish and seafood, whereas in German-speaking Switzerland, fish fillets are preferred," she continues. Coop has also noticed that the consumption of seafood is more important in French-speaking Switzerland.
"The closer you get to France, the more varied the range of fish and seafood and the higher the sales," summarizes the Migros spokesperson. However, he also notes that there are now many French people in Zurich. This "undoubtedly" has an impact on the range.
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