When a French bakery chain takes salmon off its menu
In partnership with Seastemik, Boulangerie Landemaine became the first bakery chain in 2025 to remove salmon from its shops to protect the ocean and everyone who depends on it. So, how has this sea-change worked out a year later?
“Our teams were quite reluctant at first, but today no one questions this decision,” Emma Bonvento, communications manager at Boulangerie Landemaine, told us. The well-known chain has 19 locations in France and Japan.
At Seastemik, we understand what fueled those initial reservations. Among bakery-pastry shops that offer snacks (96% of them), smoked salmon sandwiches are often bestsellers, as are salmon canapés in catering.
Boulangerie Landemaine also caters for businesses. Until 2025, salmon canapés were among its most requested products. Needless to say, giving up salmon was a major challenge for the bakery.
A smart choice
Deciding what goes on a menu is no small thing. Adding a food to the menu encourages its consumption and production. It also means taking responsibility toward customers. In 2026, offering salmon in a sandwich, quiche, or fillet means serving customers fish packed with medication and microplastics.
In France, 98% of the salmon we eat comes from farms, where fish are raised in disastrous conditions. The fishing used to feed salmon deprives communities of food and empties the ocean, not to mention the pollution and deforestation caused by these farms.
These are some of the reasons that convinced Boulangerie Landemaine to take the leap, while the overwhelming majority of businesses continue to treat salmon as a menu staple.
A bold choice
Removing salmon is one thing. But you also need to offer something else in its place. The bakery did not do things by halves: every salmon-based option it removed was replaced by a new vegetarian or vegan one. A roasted vegetable sandwich replaced the salmon sandwich, and a vegetable-and-goat-cheese quiche took the place of the salmon quiche.
Today, vegetarian and vegan items make up 40% of the chain’s snack range, in summer and winter, and more than a third of sales. The roasted vegetable sandwich, on the summer menu, has found an audience and sells just as well as some meat options. A big win for salmon, the ocean, and everyone who depends on it!
A choice that pays off
The catering results are even more impressive. Vegetarian options account for more than half of sales, showing that some businesses are beginning to contribute to the food transition at their events.
Another win: Boulangerie Landemaine reports around a 30% reduction in production costs when switching from a conventional to a plant-based offering, for example by replacing salmon-and-spinach quiche with leek quiche. It is a good way to reassure skeptics, both internally and among competitors.
And what about the customers? At Seastemik, we support food-service businesses through their transition and help make sure customers come along with them.
The Seastemik x Boulangerie Landemaine partnership was announced on social media, among other places. A video featuring our co-founder Esther Dufaure and the bakery’s founder, Rodolphe Landemaine, reached nearly 15,000 views. A second post shared a few weeks later had similar results. Most surprisingly, negative reactions were rare.
A winning bet
Almost a year and a half later, what seemed like an economic risk has proved to be a winning bet. There has been no turning back, plant-based options have found their place, and the commitment has even become a source of pride for the bakery.
This example shows us that another path is possible: businesses can go against industry habits and succeed when the choice is thoughtfully planned. So what are we waiting for? Let’s tell our restaurants, caterers, and bakeries it is time to leave salmon off the menu!