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The word “rillette” (from the Old French world “reille” meaning board) originally referred to pieces of meat cut lengthwise or into strips. While meat rillettes (particularly pork) date back to the Middle Ages, fish rillettes are much more recent. Made from fish or shellfish, there are many recipes for fish rillettes and new ones are boosting the market, such as rillettes based on tuna, salmon with pesto and fresh goat’s cheese or mackerel with seaweed, etc.
This is a flourishing segment and fish rillettes can be served on bread or toast, as an aperitif or even a starter. The aperitif trend is now firmly hitched to the processed seafood wagon with these simple everyday products, at attractive prices, and greater visibility on the shelves
Production and consumption
Fish rillettes are sold in three forms: glass pots (small jars, verrines), plastic tubs or cans. This is a very dynamic market, with a sharp rise in volumes in recent years (+66% in five years), going from 1,050 tons in 2004 to 1,670 tons in 2009 (including 300 tons for restaurants). However, they only represent 22% of the “spreads” total in processed seafood (9,200 tons) and only concern 13% of consumer households. The rillettes sold in glass pots and plastic tubs in self-service (excluding traditional canned foods) represented a turnover of 25 million euros in 2009 (+ 10.9% compared with 2008).
This growth in sales is due to better visibility of the products and, above all, the large number of new, improved recipes using better raw materials (such as wild salmon) or organic, although 75% of the sales occur on two traditional recipes: tuna and salmon (about 38% for tuna and 36% for salmon). Steady throughout the year, sales increase at the end of the year (Christmas and New Year festivities), benefiting from the increase in prepared seafood products during this period. After years of growth (in double digits), we can expect a less buoyant market in the years ahead, or at best a relative stability. (Sources: Synafap, Adepale, Guyader)
At Rungis Market
“We mainly sell tuna, salmon and sardine rillettes. We sell mostly to restaurants but in small quantities, because these are niche products,” explains Mr Christian Lucas, salesman for Armara.
