Charles Murgat Pisciculture

What Charles Murgat Pisciculture does

Charles Murgat Pisciculture is a French family-owned aquaculture operator founded in 1898 in Beaufort-en-Vallée, Isère, breeding and processing four salmonid species — Truite Fario, Omble Chevalier, Saumon de Fontaine, and Truite Arc-en-Ciel. Production is built on a distinctive physical asset: natural underground spring water from the Sources des Fontaines, originating in the Massif des Chartreuses, maintained at a constant 11.7°C year-round. Fish are fed a GMO-free diet of locally sourced cereals combined with marine-origin products, and the operation holds European Sanitary Qualification, restocking approvals, a live-fish transport license, and CCSR registration. Capital structure is a SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) with €350,000 of capital; the firm has remained under Murgat family management for four generations and currently employs 11-50 people.

The business operates four distinct revenue streams via separate go-to-market motions. Consumers buy direct through an on-site farm store and a dedicated e-commerce platform (livraison.charlesmurgat.com). Professional buyers — restaurants and fishmongers — receive whole eviscerated fish, fillets, steaks, and fry under a same-day-prep-before-10am, next-day-delivery service. Other aquaculture operators purchase eggs, fry, fingerlings, and adult broodstock as a wholesale supply channel. A fourth stream supplies live fish for recreational fishing clubs and river/lake restocking under CCSR quality standards. Pricing is per-unit on a pay-as-you-go basis, with full tariff information disclosed via downloadable PDF rather than published online. The product line was extended in 2018 with Trout Eggs (Œufs de Truite), and the company has secured premium positioning via Bocuse d'Or (2015) and Pavillon France at Milan Expo 2015 selections.

The company's core competitive advantages rest on regulatory approvals (which require years to replicate), 126+ years of brand heritage as France's oldest family fish farm, a unique natural spring water resource that cannot be relocated, and ongoing research collaborations with INRA and IFREMER. The market scope is domestic and regional — concentrated in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes — with no disclosed export activity. Revenue, headcount trends, and order volumes are not publicly disclosed, limiting financial visibility for outside investors.

Name

Charles Murgat Pisciculture

Legal name

Charles Murgat

Website

https://charlesmurgat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charles Murgat Pisciculture is a 126-year-old French family-owned salmonid farm in Beaufort, Isère, breeding Truite Fario, Omble Chevalier, Saumon de Fontaine, and Truite Arc-en-Ciel using natural spring water, and selling to restaurants, fishmongers, consumers, fish farmers, and restocking operators across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture / Fresh Fish Production

NAICS

Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFANADAL

Aquaculture Harvest, Processing & Packing (Farmed Finfish/Shellfish; On-Farm Plants)

Agriculture & Food Production/Meat, Poultry & Seafood Processing/Seafood Processing (Finfish & Shellfish; Wild-Caught & Aquaculture)

SECONDARYAFAEAAAM

Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting)

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Aquaculture (Fish & Shellfish Farming)

SECONDARYAFANADAF

Smoked, Cured & Salted Seafood (Lox, Kippers, Bacalao)

Agriculture & Food Production/Meat, Poultry & Seafood Processing/Seafood Processing (Finfish & Shellfish; Wild-Caught & Aquaculture)

Keywords

• Trout farming
• Salmonid aquaculture
• Fresh fish supply
• Fish breeding stock
• River restocking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaufort-en-vallée

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Fish Sales: Direct sales of fresh fish products to individual consumers through farm store and online ordering. Products include whole fish, fillets, and prepared products like smoked trout, trout eggs, and rillettes.
2. Professional Food Service Supply: Supply of fish products to restaurants and fishmongers, including eviscerated whole fish, fillets, steaks, and fry. Products prepared to order before 10am and delivered next day.
3. Fish Farmer & Breeder Supply: Supply of fish eggs, fry (alevins), fingerlings (truitelles), and adult fish of various species to other fish farms and aquaculture operations. Accompanied by health qualifications and European sanitary certifications.
4. Fishing & Stocking Services: Provision of live fish for recreational fishing and river/lake restocking activities. Fish are available seasonally and can be purchased at the farm store or delivered.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Charles Murgat Pisciculture is a family-owned fish farm established in 1898 that breeds, raises, and processes four salmonid species — Truite Fario, Omble Chevalier, Saumon de Fontaine, and Truite Arc-en-Ciel — in natural spring water from the Sources des Fontaines. It sells fresh, filleted, smoked, and prepared fish products to individual consumers via an on-site farm store and an online ordering platform, and supplies live fish, eggs, fry, and fingerlings to other fish farms, restaurants, fishmongers, and fishing/restocking operations.

Product overview

Charles Murgat Pisciculture is a traditional family fish farming business founded in 1898, operating as a single unified offering centered on the breeding, raising, and sale of four salmonid species: Truite Fario, Omble Chevalier, Saumon de Fontaine, and Truite Arc-en-Ciel. The company's portfolio is organized around four complementary service modules — Restaurateur & Poissonnier (B2B supply to restaurants and fishmongers), Particulier (direct retail to consumers), Pêche & Repeuplement (fishing and restocking supply), and Pisciculteur & Éleveur (wholesale to other fish farms) — supplemented by a farm shop and an online ordering/delivery platform. Products range from live whole fish and fillets to smoked trout, trout eggs, and rillettes. The operation is distinguished by its use of natural spring water from the Sources des Fontaines and its century-old aquacultural expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Truite Fario (Brown Trout)
• Omble Chevalier (Arctic Char) A noble fish originating from Arctic zones, with white and firm flesh and a refined taste; one of the four species produced year-round at the Beaufort farm.
• Saumon de Fontaine (Brook Trout) Brook Trout (also known as truite mouchetée in Quebec), introduced to Europe in the late 19th century, with pink, smooth flesh and a delicate taste, considered among the best salmonids for flavor.
• Truite Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow Trout) Rainbow Trout native to the Rocky Mountains, introduced to Europe in the second half of the 19th century, with a rainbow-colored robe, white or salmon-colored flesh, and a delicate, light taste.
• Trout Eggs (Œufs de Truite) Trout roe product launched as a new culinary offering in 2018 to mark the farm's 120th anniversary.
• Restaurateur & Poissonnier Service (B2B Supply to Restaurants and Fishmongers) B2B service supplying whole eviscerated fish, fillets, steaks, and fry of trout to restaurants, hotels, and fishmongers; products prepared to order before 10am and delivered the next day at the latest.
• Particulier (Individual Consumer Retail Service) Consumer-facing retail service offering fresh whole fish or fillets, smoked trout, trout eggs, and rillettes, available at the on-site farm shop or via the online ordering platform for home delivery.
• Pêche & Repeuplement (Fishing & Restocking Service) Service supplying fry, fingerlings, and mature fish for fishing and river/lake restocking activities across Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Arctic Char, and Brook Trout; the farm is registered with the CCSR (Comité de la Charte des Salmonidés de Repeuplement) which governs restocking quality standards.
• Pisciculteur & Éleveur (Fish Farmer & Breeder Wholesale Service) Wholesale supply of eggs, fry, fingerlings, and adult fish to other fish farms across all four species; supported by restocking approvals, European Sanitary Qualification, and approval for transporting live fish.

Quantifiable outcome

• Truite Fario selected for Bocuse d'Or competition, demonstrating premium quality
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing research collaboration with INRA on environmental protection and aquaculture best practices. The company maintains continuous and close collaboration with agricultural research institutions.
• IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinuous research collaboration with IFREMER on marine and freshwater research, environmental protection, and aquaculture sustainability practices.
• CCSR (Comité de la Charte des Salmonidés de Repeuplement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe company is registered with CCSR, which regulates the quality of restocking salmonids in France, ensuring compliance with industry standards for restocking operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cermaq: Cermaq is a major global salmon farming company owned by Mitsubishi, operating in Norway, Chile, and Canada. A broad incumbent in salmonid aquaculture with comparable farming-to-processing integration, though focused on Atlantic salmon in marine environments.
• Mowi ASA: Mowi (formerly Marine Harvest) is the world's largest Atlantic salmon producer, headquartered in Norway. Comparable as a global salmonid farming incumbent, with overlapping species and similar farming/processing model, but operates at industrial scale and primarily in marine cages rather than freshwater springs.
• Bakkafrost: Bakkafrost is the largest salmon producer in the Faroe Islands with integrated farming, processing, and value-added product operations. Comparable to Charles Murgat on integrated salmonid production and premium positioning, though at significantly larger scale and primarily Atlantic salmon focused.

Regional players

• Huon Aquaculture: Huon Aquaculture is one of Australia's largest salmon producers, now owned by JBS. Comparable salmonid farming operation with integrated processing and premium brand positioning in a regional market, though operating in marine Tasmania rather than freshwater European springs.
• Scottish Sea Farms: Scottish Sea Farms is a major UK-based salmon producer jointly owned by SalMar and Lerøy. Comparable as a salmonid farming operation with strong brand recognition and premium positioning, though geographically distinct (Scottish marine waters) and focused exclusively on Atlantic salmon.

Others

• BioMar: BioMar is one of the world's largest suppliers of high-performance aquaculture feed, with strong presence in the European salmonid market. Comparable to Charles Murgat's operations as a key ecosystem partner providing specialized feed inputs for trout and salmon farming.
• Skretting: Skretting is the global aquaculture feed division of Nutreco, producing specialized feed for salmon, trout, and other farmed species. Comparable to Charles Murgat's operations as the upstream feed supplier for the salmonid aquaculture industry and a likely current supplier to French trout farms.

Direct peers

• Aqualande: Aqualande is one of France's largest aquaculture producers, specializing in trout farming and other freshwater species. Most directly comparable to Charles Murgat on geography, species (salmonids), and integrated farm-to-market model, though at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fils-de-charles-murgat

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Charles Murgat Pisciculture