Record pace for Gaia's “Faux Gras”

The success of “Faux Gras de Gaia”, animal rights organization Gaia’s animal-friendly alternative to “foie gras”, is growing every year. More than 350,000 boxes have found their way to nearly every department store chain and organic food store this season.

Even in France

That is a 60 % growth compared to last year when the group sold about 210,000 boxes. “This is the strongest growth since the launch of the animal-friendly foie gras alternative”, the animal rights organization said. “Nearly every department store chain in Belgium, aside from Aldi and Albert Heijn, sell the faux gras and an increasing number of organic food stores have also started selling the “Faux Gras de Gaia”.

According to Gaia director Ann De Greef, “French demand is also increasing, exactly the country that manufactures, consumes and exports the most foie gras”. Last year’s bird flu ravaged France last year and had an enormous impact, but that was not all: “Our entirely organic and ethical alternative to foie gras’ popularity clearly shows that everyone who wants to have an animal-friendly meal does not have to have a less festive meal”, Gaia said. “That is excellent news for the millions of birds force-fed every year in order to create foie gras.”

“Foie fin”

It is entirely possible to create foie gras without force-feeding birds until their liver grows to nine times the regular size (50 grams compared to 450 grams): “One could use slaughtered birds’ healthy livers”, Gaia said.

“Foie gras manufacturers that do not force-feed their ducks or geese cannot label it as foie gras,  only as foie fin, according to Ann De Greef. “That will remain the case until the European legislation alters its current levels, requiring duck livers and geese livers to exceed 300 and 400 grams respectively to be called foie gras.” The animal rights organization says that such an abnormally large liver can only be the result of force-feeding and that is why it asks the European legislative powers to remove that prerequisite.