In this episode of The health business Gisèle WERTHEIM AYméS chats with Oryx Desert Salt Founder and Entrepreneur, Samantha Skyring, who is taking her exceptional wholefood brand, Oryx Desert Salt to a global scale.

Oryx desert salt is a unique pure crystal white natural desert salt. This pure salt is unrefined, unprocessed and contains recognized minerals and trace elements that are easily absorbed by the body and essential for optimal health.

A global brand

After many years of growing the brand locally and internationally, in October 2021, Oryx Desert Salt became one of the few South African brands to land on the shelves of the Whole Foods Market in the United States. It is an exceptional achievement. Whole Foods specializes in sustainably produced organic food and chooses its suppliers carefully. Their customers are conscious buyers who shop on the basis of quality and ethics.

Why is this desert salt so special?

Skyring explains, “Salt is needed for brain function, digestion, and almost every function in our body. So when we sweat, we have to replace it. Not with table salt, which is actually industrialized, highly processed salt that has been demineralized.

The salt of the Oryx Desert comes from the remote, pristine and unpolluted desert of the Kalahari. Deep in the desert lies a vast salt marsh where crystalline salt is harvested from underground streams that flow through the ancient rock formations of Dwyka, believed to date from 280 to 300 million years ago. Salt is naturally sun-dried under the hot Kalahari sun. The result is a 100% pure and naturally organic salt.

“Because Oryx Desert Salt is preservative-free, additive-free and unprocessed, it retains all of its valuable minerals and micronutrients, making it a complete nutritious food,Adds Skyring.

Oryx inspired its brand journey

Skyring’s vision for the brand was driven by an experience she had in Namibia several years ago.

“I had an incredible opportunity to walk 120 km, (75 miles), 7 days through the Namib Desert. During this time, I had close encounters with the Oryx. In fact, they came a few meters from me. I was inspired by this experience and applied it to my business vision.

Innovation in packaging

Skyring has also invested in packaging that sets its product apart, choosing a grinder with a ceramic mechanism that lasts much longer than plastic grinders and ensures that no micro plastic chips get accidentally crushed into the food.

She believes that it is essential at this time to have a minimal impact on the planet. Oryx Desert Salt uses renewable and sustainable sources. Refillable glass bottles with long-lasting ceramic grinding heads (so no plastic particles are crushed in the food!) Refill. Reuse. Actual value. Save the earth and save money, too.

“We have to make sure our products are renewable and sustainable and it seems unnecessary to throw out the shredders. Thus our grinders have a ceramic mechanism and they are 20 to 30 times rechargeable. In South Africa last year we saved 180 to 200,000 bottles and grinders from recycling or landfilling. Which is quite substantial. The fact that you can buy it once and keep filling it saves your pocket. It saves the planet.

The taste is at the heart of the salt of the desert

Aside from the brand and the packaging, what really sets Oryx apart is the taste. Salt tastes richer but milder due to all of the essential minerals and trace elements that naturally occur in salt, including magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Its subtle yet distinctive flavor profile means less salt is needed for a more enriched taste. Chefs love to use it, they taste the difference!

“No dish at Restaurant Jan is complete without a pinch of Oryx Desert salt.” – Jan Hendrik, South Africa’s first Michelin-starred chef

Skyring is a humble and passionate entrepreneur who has built her business from scratch. She says her success to date has been made possible by the tremendous support she has received from many retailers and resellers as well as influencers like Michelin-starred chef Jan Hendrik.

Craig Cormack – The Salt Chef – of the Salt Restaurant is also a fan. He says, “I use Oryx Desert Salt in my kitchen every day and use it for various salt and salt education events in South Africa and around the world. It’s an incredible mineral, very rich, I love the flavor profile ”

Main photo credit: World travels.

See the video

Watch the entire interview. The health business, powered by LongevityLive.com and produced by the Nielsen Network, interviewed Samantha Skyring, founder of Oryx Salt.