Ernest Soulard

What Ernest Soulard does

Ernest Soulard is a privately held French family-owned producer of duck and foie gras, headquartered at 1 rue de l'Industrie in L'Oie, Vendée, operating as a SAS with 251-500 employees and registered capital of €4,137,712. Founded in 1936 by Ernest Soulard and his wife Constance, the company has passed through three generations and is currently presided by Magali Panau Soulard. The product portfolio spans three lines: Canard (Canard à rôtir, Canard Gras, Canard Bio) with associated cuts (magret, aiguillette, tournedos); Foie Gras de Canard in raw, mi-cuit, terrine, and conserve formats; and Confit de Canard (thighs, wings, gizzards, duck fat). A wholly owned cannery, La Cuisine de Constance, extends the range into rillettes and innovative duck-based products.

The company operates a fully vertically integrated production chain from egg to plate: a hatchery (Couvoir de Remouillé) acquired in 1990, an in-house feed mill established in 1991 producing 100% plant-based feed, raising partner farms clustered in Pays de la Loire within short radius of L'Oie, and on-site slaughter, butchery, and processing facilities. Quality is certified under IFS Higher Level, Certipaq Bio, EU AB organic, Origine France Garantie, and the EVA and PalmIPGConfiance charters. Operational infrastructure includes a methanization plant that converts production waste into energy and supports water treatment with irrigation reuse.

Revenue is generated through one-time physical product sales to two customer segments. The primary channel is foodservice professionals (restaurants, chefs, caterers, distributors) served by a dedicated commercial sales team offering tailored formats and packaging. The secondary channel is individual consumers via the e-commerce boutique (boutique-soulard.com) and the physical retail boutique at 35 rue Nationale, L'Oie. Distribution to international markets (Germany, Japan since 1974, plus actively solicited distributors elsewhere) operates through wholesale and reseller channels. Marketing is content-driven, anchored in a recipe library, newsletter, and heritage storytelling; no paid advertising channels are documented.

Name

Ernest Soulard

Legal name

SAS Ernest Soulard

Website

https://canard-soulard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ernest Soulard is a third-generation, family-owned French producer of duck and foie gras founded in 1936 in Vendée, operating a fully vertically integrated production chain from hatchery to processing, and selling to foodservice professionals, distributors, and individual consumers via DTC e-commerce and retail boutique.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Duck and Foie Gras Production

NAICS

Poultry Processing (311615), Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (112320), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Poultry and Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers (42444)

SIC

Poultry Slaughtering And Processing (2015), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

Duck & Goose Production (Waterfowl) (AFAEADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Poultry Wholesale (Whole Birds, Parts) (AFAIADAC), Duck & Goose (Waterfowl) Feed (AFADACAF)

Keywords

• Duck meat production
• Foie gras manufacturing
• Artisanal duck confit
• Organic poultry farming
• Vertically integrated poultry

Headquarters

HQ city

Essarts

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Duck meat and foie gras product sales: Ernest Soulard generates revenue through the sale of physical duck and foie gras products across three product lines: (1) duck meat (canard à rôtir, canard gras, canard bio) sold as whole birds and cuts (magret, aiguillette, tournedos, etc.); (2) confit de canard (legs, wings, gizzards, shredded meat, duck fat); (3) foie gras de canard (raw, semi-cooked, terrine, conserve formats). Products sold directly to consumers via e-commerce and boutique, and to professionals (restaurants, distributors) via dedicated sales team. Revenue is transaction-based, one-time purchase model with no recurring subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ernest Soulard produces and sells premium French duck meat and foie gras under a fully integrated production chain (hatchery, feed mill, partner farms, slaughterhouse, processing). Its portfolio spans Canard (roasting ducks, fat duck cuts, organic duck), Confits de Canard (confit thighs, gizzards, shredded duck, duck fat), and Foie Gras (raw, mi-cuit, terrine, block, conserve), sold to restaurant professionals and individual consumers through a dedicated sales team, a physical boutique, and an e-commerce shop.

Product overview

Ernest Soulard is a specialist duck and foie gras producer based in Vendée, France, founded in 1936. The company operates a fully integrated production system from egg to plate, controlling hatching, feed production, farming, and processing. The product portfolio centers on three main categories: Canard (duck) products including Canard à rôtir, Canard Gras, and Canard Bio with various cuts like magret, aiguillettes, tournedos, and whole ducks; Foie Gras including raw (Foie Gras de Canard Cru) and cooked products (Foie Gras de Canard Cuit) in formats ranging from whole mi-cuit to blocks and terrines; and Confits de Canard featuring traditional confit thighs, gizzards, and duck fat. Additional products include organic duck products, rillettes, and terrines. The company sells to both professionals (restaurants, distributors) and individual consumers through its physical boutique and e-commerce platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Canard à rôtir (Duck to roast) Whole roasting ducks and cuts (aiguillettes, filets, tournedos, côtelettes) with firm, flavorful, lean meat, sold to professional kitchens and individual consumers for roasting or grilling.
• Canard Gras (Fat duck) Premium duck meat including magret, confit thighs, and aiguillettes from fat ducks, with tender and savory flesh, for chefs and home cooks.
• Canard Bio (Organic duck) Biologically certified ducks raised without GMOs and free-range, certified Certipaq Bio, with tender and flavorful meat.
• Foie Gras de Canard Cru (Raw duck foie gras) Raw duck foie gras, either ultra-fresh or frozen, intended for home or restaurant preparation of terrines, conserves, or scallops.
• Foie Gras de Canard Cuit (Cooked duck foie gras) Ready-to-eat cooked duck foie gras including mi-cuit, terrines, and conserves, prepared with artisanal hand-processing methods.
• Confits de Canard (Duck confits) Traditional duck confits including thighs, drumsticks, and gizzards, slow-cooked in copper chaudrons for authentic taste and tender texture.

Quantifiable outcome

• IFS Higher Level certification renewed annually, demonstrating consistently superior food safety and quality standards
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Partner farmers (éleveurs partenaires) in Pays de la LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErnest Soulard operates with a network of local partner farms (éleveurs partenaires) located in the immediate vicinity of the L'Oie production site in Pays de la Loire. Ducklings from the company's owned hatchery (couvéée de Remouillé) are transported short distances to these partner farms for raising. Farms adhere to strict biosecurity standards and EVA and PalmiGconfiance charters. This close partnership enables full traceability and consistent quality from farm to processing.
• Restaurant professionals and foodservice buyerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErnest Soulard serves as a supplier and gastronomic partner to restaurant professionals and foodservice operators, offering diversified product ranges (whole ducks, magrets, aiguillettes, tournedos, raw, frozen, and processed foie gras), customized packaging, and dedicated commercial service. The company positions itself as a reliable partner representing French gastronomy, not just a supplier.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rougié: Rougié is a French duck and foie gras specialist owned by cooperative group Euralis. It is the most direct comparably vertically integrated duck/foie gras producer, serving chefs and foodservice customers globally and competing head-to-head in the same premium and professional segments Ernest Soulard targets.
• Delpeyrat: Delpeyrat is a major Southwestern French producer of foie gras, duck confit, and prepared meat products. It competes directly with Ernest Soulard across retail private-label and branded duck/foie gras categories in France, with overlapping products (foie gras, confit, magret) and channels.
• Les Canards d'Auzan: Les Canards d'Auzan is a vertically integrated French duck and foie gras producer with similar farm-to-plate positioning. It competes with Ernest Soulard in premium retail and DTC channels, though with a Southwestern (Gascon) production base rather than Vendée.
• Le Guillou — Conserverie de l'Anse de Porspaul: Le Guillou is a French artisanal foie gras and duck confit producer with a strong regional brand. It overlaps with Ernest Soulard's premium artisanal positioning and DTC retail approach, though at smaller scale.
• Comtesse du Barry: Comtesse du Barry is a French specialty retailer and producer of foie gras, duck confit, and gourmet gift products. It overlaps with Ernest Soulard's DTC and gift-ready foie gras positioning, especially for individual consumers and corporate gifting channels.
• Labeyrie Fine Foods: Labeyrie is one of France's largest foie gras and smoked salmon producers, with broad retail and foodservice distribution. It is a direct competitor in branded foie gras and duck-based products, though at materially larger scale and a wider category portfolio.
• Montfort (Maison Montfort): Montfort is a Southwestern French foie gras and duck producer serving retail and foodservice. It is a direct comparable in terms of product mix (foie gras, confit, duck cuts) and customer segments (foodservice and retail), though based in a different production region.
• Ducs de Gascogne: Ducs de Gascogne is a Gascon foie gras and duck specialty producer with a comparable product range (foie gras, confit, magret, ready meals). It competes with Ernest Soulard in premium retail and gifting in France and select export markets.

Broad incumbents

• Euralis (cooperative group): Euralis is a French agricultural cooperative that owns Rougié and other foie gras and duck operations. It is a broader incumbent — competing with Ernest Soulard across the duck value chain from genetics to finished products — with materially greater scale, R&D, and international reach.
• LDC Groupe (Gastronome): LDC is one of France's largest poultry processors, with a Gastronome brand covering duck and foie gras products. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Ernest Soulard across multiple price tiers and channels but with far greater scale and category breadth beyond duck.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ernestsoulard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ernest-soulard

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ernest Soulard