Iceland’s Saltverk Turns Geothermal Energy into Gourmet, Climate-Neutral Salt
The premium, natural salt market is growing, creating opportunities for artisanal producers worldwide.
15 November 2025
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Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
Salt, a valuable commodity for preserving food since Roman times, has had something of a glow-up in the last decade, with flavoured salts adding a gourmet edge to everyday meals.
Saltverk, an Icelandic gourmet salt brand, is targeting expansion within this growing market. According to Research & Markets, the global gourmet salt market was valued at approximately USD 1.89 billion in 2024 and is projected to be worth USD 2.40 billion by 2030.
Björn Steinar Jónsson, founder of Saltverk, acknowledges that the premium natural salt market is growing, creating opportunities for his company and other local producers worldwide.
An engineer by background, he founded Saltverk in 2011, drawn to sustainably utilising Iceland’s natural resources. He now considers himself something of a “salt geek,” with a full appreciation of how premium salt can both affect a food’s flavour and reflect a restaurant’s commitment to quality ingredients.
The salt is hand-harvested, making the process labour-intensive | Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
The salt is hand-harvested, making the process labour-intensive
| Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
The company produces flaky sea salt in the Westfjords of Iceland, on the Reykjanes Peninsula, using geothermal energy for evaporation. Pure, uncontaminated seawater is pumped directly from the ocean and evaporated on open salt pans without any processing or additives. Some salt brands use anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, whereas Saltverk’s product is completely natural and clean.
“We are producing flaky sea salt on open salt pans, and it’s a premium soft product. What you see is what you get in our production,” he explains. This philosophy results in a natural, clean product, free from anti-caking agents or other additives often found in industrially produced salts. The purity stems from the pristine seawater source, which requires no cleaning.”
The salt is hand-harvested, making the process labour-intensive. Björn claims that, to his knowledge, Saltverk is the only company using this specific method to produce flaky sea salt and is the sole producer of this grade of premium salt in Iceland.
“Where we are located in the northwest of Iceland gives us access to seawater that is not contaminated in any way,” adds Björn. “We can evaporate the seawater without the need to process it in any way. Geothermal energy, as such, doesn’t change. That’s just an energy method for evaporation, compared to others. You need to evaporate around
90 per cent of the water to make sea salt. So, it requires a lot of energy.” As the process uses 100 per cent geothermal energy and clean Arctic seawater, all its products are certified climate neutral.
Salt Tub | Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
Salt Tub | Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
Geothermal energy was said to have been used for the first time to produce salt in Iceland back in the 18th century, when the country was a Danish colony. But a lack of government support and instability in the process led to a complete halt in production a few decades later. The resurgence of the process came with the birth of Saltverk.
Björn says that Saltverk’s customers, which include professional chefs and private consumers, enjoy his products for their distinct taste, crumbly texture, and natural cleanliness.
Saltverk engages both directly with consumers and with the foodservice industry (chefs and restaurants), particularly in Scandinavia, leveraging chef endorsements to build distribution.
Saltverk varieties with local ingredients that are deeply rooted in Icelandic culture| Photo Credit: Saltverk
Saltverk varieties with local ingredients that are deeply rooted in Icelandic culture | Photo Credit: Saltverk
Initially, the 25-person company focused on domestic sales before expanding into Scandinavia. For the past seven to eight years, the primary growth market has been the US, driven by initial direct-to-consumer demand through platforms like Amazon and interest from retailers.
While pure flaky sea salt is the primary product, Saltverk offers several varieties with local ingredients that are deeply rooted in Icelandic culture:
- Birch Smoke Salt: Smoked with birch wood at their facility.
- Arctic Thyme Salt: Features wild thyme unique to the Arctic region.
- Seaweed Salt: Made with locally harvested seaweed.
- Liquorice Salt: A nod to a strong Scandinavian and Icelandic confectionery tradition.
- Lava Salt: Symbolises Iceland’s volcanic landscape.
Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
Photo Credit: Azelsig/Saltverk
Author: Alison Marshall
Alison Marshall is a seasoned journalist, writer, and editor with over 30 years of experience in print and digital media across global markets covering sectors from hospitality to finance. A Brit by birth she has lived in Singapore since 2008, a country which continues to fascinate. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and cocktails and loves a local market wherever she travels.