The Only Place On Earth You Should Be Salty: Why You Should Visit Halen Môn

Image courtesy of Halen Môn

For much of human history, salt was the most valuable possession a person could own. Sodium Chloride provides the body with essential minerals while flavoring food. When you finish eating, salt can preserve your food for future use. Salt triggered cosmopolitan boons and bloody battles. When going to the supermarket, it's easy to forget salt's significance. In today's world, being salty is viewed as a negative. How could this essential mineral be bad? But at Halen Môn in Wales, everyone loves being salty. The company understands how salt is vital to both your tastebuds and health. I spoke with Jess Lea-Wilson, Brand Director, to learn more about the company.

Image courtesy of Halen Môn.

1. What makes Halen Môn salt different from other salts on the market?

We are the only UK sea salt to have a Protected Designation of Origin—the same accreditation as Champagne and Palma Ham. Our salt is hand-harvested, organically approved, and loved worldwide.

(Images courtesy of Halen Môn)

2. How does Halen Môn honor its past and embrace innovation?

Some things should stay the same; other things should change. Alison and David made the very first batch of Halen Môn Welsh salt on their old Aga in 1997. Since then, we have been awarded the Queen's Award for Sustainability, supplied everyone from Selfridges to Green and Black's chocolate, and even gained Protected Designation of Origin status for our sea salt. Halen Môn products can now be found in more than twenty countries worldwide. Some things remain unchanged: we make ingredients in a long, delicious, proper way, and we don't take shortcuts. That's why our Pure Sea Salt is famous. We care deeply about our environment. Our lasting, supportive relationships with our staff, customers, suppliers, and the community are critical.

Image courtesy of Halen Môn

We want to change some things, though, as the founders carefully hand over to the next generation.

• Sustainable growth and continuous progression are crucial to us, which means safeguarding existing jobs for future generations on this small Welsh

• island. We want to create new opportunities for our team.

• We want to drive our business towards a more sustainable future. This means being accountable and transparent in an orderly way every year. By applying the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling to all waste and co-products, we move closer to our objective of zero landfills every year.

• We want to be even more innovative: with flavors, with products, with packaging, with sourcing, with food education.

• We want to create partnerships with cooks, chefs, and companies who share our ethos and commitment to natural food production.

Image courtesy of Halen Môn

3. Why should someone visit Halen môn?

We are proud to have won a Traveller's Choice award for being rated among the top 10% of TripAdvisor's listings in 2023. Our award-winning Saltcote and Visitor Centre is a unique building on the banks of Menai Strait, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Image courtesy of Halen Môn

We are proud to be one of Wales' most innovative food businesses. We offer a one-of-a-kind Behind the Scenes tour for anyone interested in salt's place in our history and culture and what makes Halen Môn Sea Salt PDO a standout product. Led by a trained guide, the tour lasts approx 45 minutes and finishes with a tutored salt tasting. In addition to making our sea salt, Saltcote is home to a contemporary, design-led gift shop, which you are welcome to visit even if you have not booked a tour.

Image courtesy of Halen Môn

We can ship worldwide from halenmon.com