La Belon de Cancale

What La Belon de Cancale does

La Belon de Cancale is a family-owned French oyster producer headquartered in Hirel, Brittany, France, operated by the Beaulieu family since 1987 (with roots in Mont Saint-Michel Bay mussel farming dating to 1956). The company cultivates premium flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) and deep-water hollow oysters using a traditional aquaculture model that combines natural spat catching in Quiberon Bay with deep-water rearing (16+ meters) in Mont Saint-Michel Bay — Europe's greatest tidal range — followed by dredging-boat harvesting and 2-4 year development cycles. Calibrated grades range from size 4 (40g) to size 0000 (up to 150g), with the largest specimens marketed under the "Pied de Cheval" sub-brand. The company holds EU organic (BIO) certification for its flat oysters since April 2021 and was awarded a Gold Medal at the Concours Général Agricole in 2023.

The business operates a sales-led GTM selling ex-works to both B2B food service and distribution customers (restaurants, hotels, seafood wholesalers, gourmet retailers) and B2C individual consumers, with a dedicated export phone line for international buyers. Distribution relies on direct contact via website form (48-hour response SLA), phone, and optional company-arranged transport; products are sold price-on-request with no published price list. Marketing is driven by a multi-language (FR, EN, DE, ES, IT) website, downloadable brochures, and a LinkedIn company page. The company is a stakeholder in the FOREVER project (2018), a research consortium focused on zootechnical and genetic knowledge of Ostrea edulis.

Revenue mechanics are one-time transactional oyster sales with no subscription, licensing, or recurring component. The firm employs approximately 8 people across its Hirel headquarters and operational zones in Quiberon and Mont Saint-Michel Bay, with no disclosed revenue, no external investors, and no funding history — consistent with a tightly held family operation rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

La Belon de Cancale

Legal name

La Belon de Cancale

Website

https://labelondecancale.bzh

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Belon de Cancale is a family-owned Brittany oyster producer cultivating premium flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) and hollow oysters via natural spat catching in Quiberon Bay and deep-water rearing in Mont Saint-Michel Bay, selling ex-works to food-service distributors, gourmet retailers, and direct consumers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Oyster Production

NAICS

Shellfish Fishing (114112)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Shellfish Farming (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) (AFAEAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks) (AFAIADAF), Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD)

Keywords

• Flat oyster production
• Oyster aquaculture
• Hollow oyster farming
• Premium seafood production
• Marine aquaculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Hirel

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Oyster Sales: Sale of flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) and deep-water hollow oysters. Products sold wholesale and potentially retail, with calibers ranging from 4 (40g) to 0000 (up to 150g). The largest specimens marketed as 'Pied de Cheval'. Pricing is ex-works, with optional transport services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La Belon de Cancale is a family-owned oyster producer in Brittany, France, specializing in flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) and deep-water hollow oysters (huîtres creuses). The company captures natural oyster spat in Quiberon Bay and rears the oysters in Mont Saint-Michel Bay, leveraging Europe's largest tidal range. Operations span two generations of expertise, with production across dedicated Cancale and Quiberon sites.

Product overview

La Belon de Cancale is a premium oyster producer specializing in two main product lines: flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) including La Belon de Cancale and Pied de Cheval (largest grade), cultivated in Mont Saint-Michel Bay at over 16 meters depth with a 2-4 year growth cycle; and deep-water hollow oysters including Quiberon Hollow Oyster (grown in Quiberon Bay) and Cancale Hollow Oysters (grown near Cancale). Both product lines are manually calibrated by weight using a size system ranging from 4 (40g) to 0000 (up to 150g). The company holds organic (BIO) certification since April 2021 and has received the Gold Medal award at the Concours Général Agricole. Founded in 1987, the company operates out of Hirel, Brittany, France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• La Belon Flat Oyster (Ostrea edulis) Premium flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) raised from natural spat caught in Quiberon Bay and reared in Mont Saint-Michel Bay, sold in caliber grades including the largest Pied de Cheval (0000) size. Targeted at gourmet restaurants, fishmongers, and fine-food retailers.
• Quiberon Hollow Oyster (Huître Creuse de Quiberon) Deep-water hollow oysters reared in Quiberon Bay using deep-water pouch (poches en profondeur) techniques, producing plump, firm oysters with refined iodized flavors. Intended for restaurants, wholesalers, and export clients.
• Cancale Hollow Oyster Hollow oyster offering produced at the Cancale site, marketed under the Vivaraise brand and sold through specialist seafood distribution channels.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FOREVER Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaborative research initiative launched in 2018 focused on zootechnical and genetic knowledge of Ostrea edulis species. Allows recommencement of flat oyster farming using Breton catchment areas (Quiberon Bay and Bay of Brest). La Belon de Cancale's oyster farmers are key stakeholders, particularly in management and enrichment of flat oyster spawning beds.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tarbouriech: Premium French oyster producer based in Marseillan (Mediterranean), known for innovation in oyster cultivation (notably 'Solar' oysters) and a strong premium brand. Comparable as a similarly positioned, brand-forward French oyster producer targeting high-end food service.
• Gillardeau: France's most recognized premium oyster brand, operating in Marennes-Oléron and other regions with similarly tiered calibers and a heritage positioning. Directly comparable as a premium French oyster producer targeting gourmet distribution channels.
• Cadoret: Brittany-based oyster producer operating in the same regional ecosystem as La Belon de Cancale. Comparable as a Cancale/Brittany oyster producer serving similar French and export gourmet channels with traditional cultivation methods.
• Huîtres Papin: Premium French oyster producer from Charente-Maritime, producing both flat and hollow oysters with a heritage focus and tiered grading system. Directly comparable as another premium French oyster producer with similar caliber-based product structure.
• Huîtres Geay: Premium French oyster producer from Marennes-Oléron with a long heritage and multiple calibers including top-grade 'Spéciales'. Comparable to La Belon de Cancale as a similarly heritage-focused, premium-tier oyster producer with established food service distribution.

Others

• La Vivaraise: Related Brittany seafood brand referenced on the La Belon de Cancale website (lavivaraise.bzh), selling Cancale hollow oysters and connected to the broader Beaulieu family ecosystem. Comparable as a sister/affiliated Brittany shellfish producer targeting similar gourmet channels.

Regional players

• La Compagnie Bretonne de Cancale: Regional Cancale oyster producer operating in the same bay ecosystem as La Belon de Cancale. Comparable as a Brittany-based oyster producer leveraging the same Mont Saint-Michel Bay terroir and Cancale heritage for marketing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-belon-de-cancale

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 La Belon de Cancale