It’s a barbecue essential that has become (almost) impossible to find this summer. On supermarket shelves, jars of mustard are missing. The fault, not with the war in Ukraine, but with a shortage of mustard seeds across the Atlantic. Canada, 80% of world production, experienced a drought last year which wiped out the crops.
A customer came from Annecy just to buy mustard – the shop manager
In the small Martin-Pouret shop, in the city center of Orléans, stocks of mustard jars are well present, even if the strong demand is gradually emptying the shelves. On the phone with his parents who live in Nancy, Stéphane is commissioned to buy mustard. “I’m going to find them this weekend, and since they can’t find any more in their supermarkets, they asked me to bring back three pots”, explains this young Orléanais.
– Francois Ventejou
Like Stéphane, the store saw the arrival of 30% new customers since the start of the shortage in the spring. “A customer came from Annecy to buy mustard, a restaurant owner, he had nothing else to do in Orléans but to buy mustard, says store manager Juliette Jarry. Many people from all over the region come every day, just for the mustard.”
Boosted by this new clientele, the company achieved a record year. “On the 200 gram jar which is our standard, last year we sold 220,000, and this year, in just six months, we are already at 240,000 jars”, explains David Matheron, co-director of Martin-Pouret. A jar at 5.95 euros each.
Seeds grown in Loiret
How does Martin-Pouret manage to sell mustard when giants like Maille and Amora no longer have any? The Loiret company is not dependent on mustard seeds from Canada, they are all grown in Pithiviers by a farmer. He was not affected by the drought and therefore has usual stocks. The 2022 harvest has just taken place, and Loiret mustard will continue to sell out. The return to normal for brands dependent on seeds from Canada is expected in November, at best.