Foie gras (fattened duck or goose liver) is a niche luxury product in the United States, with production concentrated in just a few farms. The U.S. industry began in the 1980s and grew steadily through the early 2000s; domestic demand rose from virtually nothing in the 1980s to around 420 tons per year by 2005[1]. This growth was driven by fine dining – an estimated 95% of U.S. foie gras consumption was iraen urban restaurants as of the mid-2000s[1]. However, the industry remains small on a global scale. (For perspective, France produces over 14,000 tons annually, dwarfing U.S. output[2][3].)
Starting around 2010, the U.S. foie gras sector faced headwinds from regulatory bans and ethical concerns. In 2004, California passed a law banning force-feeding and sales of foie gras, which took effect in 2012; after legal challenges, California’s ban was ultimately upheld, eliminating foie gras production there[4][5]. Chicago briefly banned restaurant foie gras sales in 2006 (repealed in 2008), and in 2019 New York City approved a ban on foie gras sales set for 2022[6][7]. These measures reflect public concern that the force-feeding process (gavage) is inhumane. The NYC ban was blocked by New York State’s Department of Agriculture and courts as of 2024, on grounds that it unfairly harms farming activity[8][9]. Despite such battles, foie gras remains legal in most of the U.S., and production has continued largely in New York State.
Consolidation: By the late 2010s, only two farms – both in Sullivan County, New York – accounted for nearly all U.S. foie gras production[8]. (A few very small farms exist, such as Au Bon Canard in Minnesota and one in Louisiana, but their output is negligible[10].) The two major producers are Hudson Valley Foie Gras (HVFG) and La Belle Farm, which together “produce virtually all of the foie gras sold commercially in the country”[8]. Sonoma Foie Gras in California ceased foie gras operations due to the California ban, leaving New York as the center of U.S. production.
Recent Trends: U.S. foie gras consumption has declined slightly from its mid-2000s peak, likely due to the California ban and growing ethical concerns. By 2019, the two NY farms were selling about 355 tons of foie gras per year combined, down from the 420-ton peak[1][11]. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 also hit the industry hard – with restaurants closed, demand plummeted temporarily. Both major farms relied on federal relief loans to get through the downturn (public data shows Hudson Valley received a PPP loan of $1–2 million, and La Belle at least ~$350,000)[12][13]. As dining rebounded, the farms have refocused on diversifying their markets (including some exports and direct-to-consumer sales) to reduce reliance on any single city or sector.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras (HVFG) and La Belle Farm dominate the domestic market. HVFG is the largest U.S. producer, while La Belle is the clear second. Table 1 summarizes their output and market share:
| Metric | Hudson Valley Foie Gras (NY) | La Belle Farm (NY) |
|---|---|---|
| Founding Year | 1990[14] (co-founded by Michael Ginor & Izzy Yanay) | 1999[15] (founded by the Saravia family) |
| Ownership | Private (LLC); co-founders’ families and partners[14] | Private; family-owned (Saravia family)[15] |
| Annual Production | ~500,000 ducks per year[16] | ~180,000 ducks per year[16] |
| U.S. Market Share | ~70–75% of U.S. foie gras volume[16] (largest producer) | ~25–30% of U.S. volume[16] (second-largest) |
| Annual Revenue | ~$28–35 million (est. latest).<br>(~$28M in foie gras sales as of 2020[3]; ~$35M total farm revenue in 2023[17]) | ~$10–15 million (est. latest).<br>(~$10M in foie gras sales as of 2020[3]; growth since then modest) |
| Employees | ~250–300 (est.) (part of ~400 total across both farms[18]) | ~150–200 (est.) (part of ~400 total across both farms[18]) |
| Location | Ferndale, Sullivan County, New York | Sullivan County, New York (40-acre farm)[15] |
Table 1: Key statistics for the two main U.S. foie gras producers.
Production Volume: As shown above, Hudson Valley Foie Gras raises roughly half a million ducks annually, nearly three times the output of La Belle Farm[16]. Together they process on the order of 680,000 ducks each year. (Notably, almost all U.S. foie gras comes from ducks – primarily Moulard ducks – rather than geese. Both farms raise Moulards, a hybrid of Pekin and Muscovy ducks, for their foie gras[10][19]. Goose foie gras is not produced in the U.S. in significant quantities and is instead usually imported from Europe if available.)
Market Share: With effectively a duopoly, these two companies account for ~100% of domestic foie gras sales. By production volume, HVFG commands roughly 70%+ share (it “raises about half a million ducks annually” out of the nation’s total) while La Belle produces the remaining ~25–30%[16]. This aligns with revenue share: in 2020, HVFG’s foie gras sales were nearly three times La Belle’s (about $28M vs $10M)[3]. Both firms’ market position has been stable for years – there is little domestic competition outside of these two, after California’s producer exited.
Capacity and Growth: Hudson Valley has expanded significantly over time. The farm started in 1990 processing ~600 ducks a week and by 2019 was processing 7,000 ducks per week[20]. This growth helped HVFG become “the world’s premier foie gras producer” by reputation, supplying over 500 restaurants and distributors worldwide (according to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce)[21]. La Belle Farm, established in 1999, scaled to about 2,500 ducks per week by the late 2010s[22]. At one point La Belle reported raising 250,000 ducks per year (≈4,800/week)[23], though more recent figures (~180k/year) suggest a slight downscaling or more conservative counting. Both farms utilize vertically integrated operations, raising ducks from hatchlings and processing all parts of the duck (foie gras liver, magret breast, legs, fat, down, etc.) on-site[24][25]. This allows them to maximize revenue per bird and not waste byproducts.
Revenue: Neither company is publicly traded, so financial data must be gleaned from industry sources and legal filings. Based on the latest available information:
Profitability: Both farms operate on relatively thin profit margins for a luxury product, in part due to high labor and compliance costs. Foie gras production is labor-intensive (each duck must be hand-fed individually during the gavage period), and both companies employ hundreds of workers year-round. Fixed costs (farm infrastructure, feed crops, hatchlings, processing facilities) are substantial. Profitability thus depends on maintaining high prices for foie gras to offset the costs of raising the ducks and processing whole animals. According to La Belle’s president, foie gras sales provide the profit that keeps the farms viable, effectively subsidizing the rest of the duck products[24]. If foie gras demand or prices drop, the entire operation’s profitability is at risk.
Neither company releases profit figures, but some indicators show the fragility of their profit margins. Both farms have stated that losing access to major markets would be financially devastating. For example, when facing the NYC ban (which threatened ~30% of sales), La Belle’s owners warned the farm would “be done” – forced to close – if the ban took effect[30]. Hudson Valley likewise said losing 25% of its sales would be “dangerous” since one cannot shed fixed costs quickly enough to remain profitable[17]. These statements imply that after covering expenses, net profit is only a modest fraction of revenue (likely on the order of 5–15% in good years). Indeed, foie gras farming in the U.S. has always been a niche business: an economic analysis from 2003 found New York’s foie gras farms accounted for 43% of Sullivan County’s agricultural output but also noted that each dollar of farm revenue had a large multiplier effect, suggesting relatively low direct profit margins[31][32].
Trends: Profitability has fluctuated with external pressures. The mid-2000s were likely the most profitable period as demand grew. The implementation of the California ban in 2012 reduced the national market size (California previously represented a significant share of fine dining consumption). In the late 2010s, both farms spent heavily on legal battles to block foie gras bans, which would have impacted profitability if not fought. The COVID-19 shock in 2020 likely caused losses as restaurant orders dried up; both companies had to seek relief and pivot to online retail. By 2022–2023, with dining out resuming and the NYC ban on hold, the farms saw a recovery in sales. Hudson Valley even planned expansions (e.g. constructing a new processing facility and adding jobs) once its outlook improved[33]. Nonetheless, the long-term profitability trend is uncertain: ongoing activism, potential new regulations, and even competition from luxury meat alternatives (like plant-based “foie gras” substitutes now emerging[34][35]) could cap future profit growth.