On average, you need to spend €3.04 to enjoy a ham-and-butter sandwich, the most popular sandwich in France and a perennial champion in the best-selling snacks in bakeries within the highly competitive fast-food market.
Inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the 'traditional well-baked baguette' is undoubtedly the absolute best-seller in French bakeries.
In its wake, the sandwich in all its forms is increasingly becoming the preferred snacking option for the French. 65% of sandwiches in France are made with baguettes, totaling 1.26 billion units. Despite being a veteran in the category, the ham-and-butter sandwich remains the undisputed leader and continues to compete vigorously with the rest of the fast-food sector, as evidenced by its omnipresence on bakery counters.
Snacking can account for up to 35% of a bakery’s revenue! While the line for the Sunday morning baguette is a classic of French neighborhood life, its lunchtime variant during the week is becoming increasingly common. Far from just buttering sandwiches, bakeries have fully embraced the snacking phenomenon. In just three years, amidst lockdowns and reopenings, the offering of complete lunch formulas has exploded, with sales increasing by more than 68%. Among these formulas, the sandwich remains a key product in the sector, with an average of 44 sandwiches sold per day in bakeries, reflecting a more than 20% increase over three years.
It is also important to note that 93% of bakery offerings consist of cold sandwiches, leaving hot sandwiches like kebabs or burgers far behind. And ultimately, what could be more logical for a bakery where bread is the core product? Parisian charcutier Solo Raveloson, owner of Caractère de Cochon (Paris III), who makes exceptional ham-and-butter sandwiches, puts it well: 'When the baker sells you a ham-and-butter sandwich, he’s selling you bread, not ham.' This is already a good start, one might say, since good bread is essential for a good sandwich. Yet, 'good bread' is scarce in a market where 60% of industrial sandwiches are made from sliced bread, compared to only 10% made with baguettes, 18% with viennoiseries, and 12% with other types of bread. These figures are directly linked to the dominant position of the 'triangle sandwich' in the grocery sector, which claims 55% of category sales.
44 Sandwiches/Day in Bakeries
The sandwich market is heterogeneous due to the nature of its sales points, recipes, and consequently, its cost. For example, the average price of a ham-and-butter or ham-and-cheese sandwich in France is €3.04, ranging from €2 in hypermarkets/supermarkets to €3.63 in independent bakeries, according to the ham-and-butter index published irregularly by the Gira Conseil firm. These prices inevitably raise questions about the quality of the products used. However, the market also includes some artisans like Solo Raveloson. The affable Madagascan, who proudly owns what he calls his "ham cellar," offers haute couture ham-and-butter sandwiches. "I source my bread from the bakery Tout Autour Du Pain; their display is full of awards and medals, which immediately sets the tone." Then, when it comes time to choose his ham, the magic of Caractère de Cochon takes over.
Hearty, High-Quality
On the shelves, meticulously sourced raw and cooked hams await their turn at the slicer before being tucked into a crispy, buttered baguette. The sandwiches are generous, overflowing with various types of ham—wild garlic, hay-smoked, or plain. This is far from the "thick as a SNCF sandwich" standard, and, of course, this quality comes at a price. "Here, the sandwiches cost more than in the local bakeries, but I’m not competing on price. People understand that they are buying quality ham, which comes at a certain cost," explains the charcuterie enthusiast, whose sandwiches range from €11 to €16 depending on the type of ham chosen.
Thus, reflecting the revival of bakeries thanks to new market players like Mamiche or Urban Bakery in Paris, the baguette sandwich and its chief protagonist, the ham-and-butter sandwich, are revitalizing a sector that even fast-food chains seem unable to overshadow, sometimes even giving them quirky ideas, such as the McBaguette from the American chain.
Text and Photo Florian Domergue
