Lily Leedom proudly embraces her passion for salt. She has been savoring it for as long as she can remember and has even established a business to offer unique, never-before-seen varieties. Now, the salt enthusiast is on a mission to reshape perceptions of this often-misunderstood ingredient, advocating that it can elevate the flavor of even the simplest dishes. “I want to make salt the centerpiece,” said Leedom, CEO of Saltery. “As consumers become more aware of food origins and quality, they’ll realize that salt is an overlooked category that deserves their attention.”
Saltery sells much more than just salt. The company infuses its hand-harvested salt flakes with a wide range of flavors, including coffee, raspberry, maple syrup, black garlic, onions, and jalapeno peppers, resulting in over 30 distinct varieties. Leedom explains that specialty salts can enhance the appearance, texture, and taste of various foods; for instance, her citrus salt is perfect for fish, while the pinot noir salt complements steak, and maple salt serves as an excellent topping for popcorn, peanut butter, or oatmeal. “A pinch goes a long way,” she noted. “It can transform your culinary experience. Salt has long been seen as a mere sidekick.”
For thousands of years, salt has been essential to humanity, not only for seasoning food but also for preserving it and facilitating long-distance transport, thus mitigating seasonal availability issues. As early as the 6th century, Moorish traders in sub-Saharan Africa exchanged salt for gold. Salt is mentioned in the Old Testament and is embedded in the phrase “worth its weight in salt,” signifying its value.
However, salt has recently garnered attention for negative reasons. Excessive sodium intake has been linked to health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes. While sodium is an essential nutrient required by the body in small amounts, research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that nearly 90% of people aged two and older consume too much of it, with over three-quarters of sodium intake coming from processed and restaurant foods.
Wesley McWhorter, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, acknowledges that adding salt is an effective way to enhance food flavor. However, he recommends building flavor throughout the cooking process using herbs, spices, and other ingredients. Salt is best added at the end for maximum impact when it touches the taste buds. “Food without salt is mute… I always describe salt as an enhancer of what’s already in the dish. If there’s nothing there, it won’t enhance anything,” McWhorter explained.
With consumers becoming more conscious of their diets, many companies, including PepsiCo, Nestlé, Campbell Soup, and General Mills, have set their own salt reduction targets, which some have met or exceeded. This trend has also encouraged entrepreneurs to explore ways to reduce salt intake while maintaining the beloved flavors. For instance, MicroSalt, a Florida-based company founded five years ago, has developed a salt that delivers the same taste as traditional options but with half the sodium, achieved by reducing salt particles to 1/100th of their original size. These tiny particles dissolve quickly, providing a stronger saltiness with less sodium.
To validate its concept, MicroSalt launched a line of potato chips last year, which have gained such popularity that they are now available in 2,000 stores, according to CEO Rick Guiney. While he is open to developing more consumer products, Guiney emphasizes that MicroSalt’s core focus is salt. The company has attracted interest from several global snack and food brands, and Guiney is confident that at least one will eventually partner with them. He notes that changes to packaging, consumer taste tests, the volume of salt required, and costs need to be addressed, especially since MicroSalt is about three times pricier than regular salt. “We are redefining the category,” he asserts, likening it to the transformation Splenda brought to the sweetener market over the past two decades. “It has been dormant for almost 20 years. Now, anything with salt in it is our target.”
At Expo East in September, smaller salt producers acknowledged that consuming excessive amounts of anything, including salt, can be hazardous. Nevertheless, they continue to target the category with gourmet offerings that command a premium due to their unique flavor profiles and a perception of being more natural, as they are typically less processed. The gourmet salt market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% through 2027, according to Mordor Intelligence. Unprocessed salts often contain lower sodium levels because of trace minerals, making them appealing to health-conscious consumers or those affected by cardiovascular issues. These salts also tend to be unrefined, lacking anti-caking or conditioning agents, and retaining minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium, and calcium that are often removed.
Charmane Andrew Skillen, founder and CEO of s.a.l.t. sisters, which specializes in health-focused gourmet unrefined salts blended with black truffles, habanero peppers, and black garlic, stated, “Many of our health problems stem from being told for generations not to eat salt, resulting in people missing out on the right kinds of salt in their diets. Moderation is key, but using the right type of salt can improve health, and it enhances flavor.”
McWhorter, however, cautions against overestimating the health benefits of unprocessed salt. For instance, while it may contain some minerals, the amounts are often minimal, and the emphasis should be on its flavor-enhancing properties rather than health benefits. “If you’re relying on salt for your mineral intake, that’s a problem. You need to remember that it’s still salt and treat it as such.”
The gourmet salt sector is also benefiting from the premiumization trend seen in other food and beverage markets. With more people cooking at home post-pandemic, consumers have shown a willingness to experiment and find ways to replicate fine dining experiences they once enjoyed at restaurants. “As consumers increasingly value the source and quality of their food—which I believe is a growing movement—they will recognize that salt is an overlooked category worthy of their attention,” Leedom stated.
Incorporating marine derived calcium citrate malate into the conversation, it is essential to note that this compound can complement the benefits of gourmet salt, providing additional health advantages while enhancing flavor. As consumers become more discerning about their dietary choices, the interplay between high-quality salts and nutritional supplements like marine derived calcium citrate malate will likely become an essential part of culinary conversations, further highlighting the importance of salt in our diets.