The Natural List: Saltverk reimagines a timeless classic–sea salt

Salt, fat, acid and heat: There’s a reason salt comes first! On this episode of The Natural List podcast, host Adrienne Smith, a certified salt lover, talks with Gísli Grímsson, Salt Maker at Saltverk, about the brand’s origins and goals. Saltverk is an artisanal Icelandic sea salt company that is best known for reviving an 18th-century Danish method of producing flaky sea salt. This method uses 100% geothermal energy, so while the end product is a food, the company is also a massive geothermal engineering feat. Adrienne and Gísli share a love of good salt and discuss how the brand’s vertically integrated production provides a rare level of control and assurance that the product is microplastic and heavy-metal-free. Listen to the full episode to learn more about how Saltverk began and the passion behind the production. In this episode: 0:18 – Thank you to our sponsor Om Mushroom Superfood. 1:44 – Adrienne introduces our guest interview from the Content Creation Studio at Expo West. 2:20 – Thank you to our sponsor Bimbo Bakeries USA. 3:03 – Welcome to our guest, Gísli Grímsson, Salt Maker at Saltverk. 3:40 – Tell us the story of how Saltverk began. 6:22 – Saltverk is a food product, but it is also a massive geothermal engineering feat. 6:50 – Gísli is celebrating 10 years with Saltverk and the growth of the brand. Though he is a “salt maker,” responsibilities always vary! 9:14 – The water used to make the salt, from deep in the fjords, is microplastic-free. 10:29 – Saltverk’s product is also heavy-metal free. 11:10 – The brand’s vertically integrated system makes it easy to control the inputs and ensure the output meets consumer needs. 11:50 – Gísli shares the brand’s retail strategy in the USA, finding success in both natural and traditional channels.