Can you tell us about Jacobsen Salt Co. and its mission?

Our mission is to create salt and premium pantry staples that transform the way people cook and experience food. At the heart of it all is a simple philosophy: “Making great salt every day. Using it with intention. Sharing it in ways that hopefully make meals better and bring people closer together,” says founder Ben Jacobsen.

How did Jacobsen Salt Co. get started?

Jacobsen Salt Co. began in 2011, when Ben returned to Oregon after five years in Denmark. “It was in Copenhagen where I first discovered good salt,” he says. “...I was completely blown away. It added an entirely new dimension to the food I cooked and ate.”

Back in Oregon, his curiosity turned into action. “I was spending a lot of time at the coast kayaking and started to wonder: Why isn’t anyone making great salt here?”

From there, he began bringing seawater home and experimenting. “That kicked off a two-and-a-half-year process of learning how to consistently make the best salt I could.” After testing 27 sites along the Washington and Oregon coasts, he found his source: Netarts Bay. This spot was chosen specifically because of its bright salinity, thanks in part to the number of oysters in the bay that act as a natural filter.

After these years of trial and error, Jacobsen Salt Co. was founded in 2011 and soon received its first order from New Seasons Market.

What inspires your craft, and what is the company’s philosophy?

We believe that taste, texture, and color are what make great salt. Though produced naturally, it takes a special process to extract and create salt the way we do. From our proprietary drying process to hand grading every batch, we take great pride in bringing people salt that is truly exceptional; bright and briny, with a delicate crunch and no bitter aftertaste—a crystallization of craft and care that will bring out the best in every meal.

Photo by Celeste Noche

How has the Oregon Coast environment influenced your flavors and techniques?

The Oregon Coast is where it all started and is at the core of everything we do. “Just like a winemaker searches for the best grapes, I was searching for the best seawater—and I found it in Netarts Bay.”

Many elements work together to make this spot on the Oregon Coast special. It begins with the millions of oysters in the bay, which naturally prefilter the seawater before we use it to make salt. At low tide, the water almost completely empties out of the bay, resulting in fresh seawater twice a day. This allows us to be extremely selective about when we pump water from the bay, which is the first step in the saltmaking process.

Can you walk us through your salt-making process? What traditional techniques do you use, and what makes Jacobsen Salt stand out?

Unlike industrially produced salt, hand-harvested salt connects us to its origin and is inherently tied to the place from which it comes—we are one of the few domestic producers of sea salt who still champion this tradition.

We start by pumping seawater from the bay. From there, the water is filtered and transferred into a reverse osmosis machine before being reduced into concentrated saltwater called prebrine. Next, the prebrine is pumped into large boil tanks, where it continues to be reduced to a brine. Then, the brine is pumped into custom-made evaporation pans and carefully heated, creating beautiful sea salt.  

This is where the art and craft of being a saltmaker truly come into play. Harvesting salt requires patience and precision as we wait for the crystals to reach a specific level of formation. Once ready, the salt is delicately scooped out of the pans and drained of excess brine before being put on a drying rack. Once dry, every flake of salt is sifted, sorted, and graded. The fully formed pyramid-shaped crystals become our flake salt, while smaller flakes and coarser crystals become our kosher salt.

This simple yet meticulous process ensures that every flake is bright and briny with a delicate crunch and no bitter aftertaste.

Watch our process video here.

Jacobsen Salt Co. chooses to keep its salts free of anti-caking agents—why is this important, and how does it impact the quality and flavor? Have there been any challenges due to this decision?

We believe salt should be pure, bright, and clean. Anti-caking agents and additives can alter the natural flavor and texture, so we leave them out entirely. This means our salt retains its crunch and dissolves clearly, enhancing food without overpowering it. And while it may occasionally clump, just give it a quick shake or a pinch between your fingers.

What do you want your customers to experience when using your products?

Our goal is to make everyday cooking a little more special. We want our customers to feel inspired in their kitchens, whether they’re finishing a perfectly grilled steak with a pinch of flake salt, sprinkling infused salts on their favorite dishes, or gifting our products.

How does the company incorporate sustainable practices into its production?

We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can do better for our customers, our team, and the environment we rely on to make great salt. A few recent changes include moving from plastic to glass packaging where we can and investing more intentionally in our Jacobsen Co. Hive Program to support regional biodiversity and our local honeybee population.

What is a typical day like for the Jacobsen Salt Co. team?

No two days are alike. Some of us are harvesting salt, while others are packing orders, testing new recipes, or working with like-minded brands and tastemakers on future collaborations. Whether we’re on the coast, in the kitchen or at the office, we’re all working toward the same goal of bringing you the best salt and pantry staples possible.

Where do you see Jacobsen Salt Co. in 10 years, and how do you hope to grow?

“To be even a tiny slice of salt’s long, storied history feels special,” says Ben Jacobsen. We hope to continue growing our salt works while staying true to our roots and the coast we call home, ensuring that more and more people across the country get to experience how great salt elevates your food.