It was the worst of times, it was the best of times. Yes, that’s backward from the original prose, but that was how Becca Christansen, Co-Founder of Portland Salt Co, and her partner got started. It was December, 2021, COVID/pandemic when things couldn’t look bleaker that they took the entrepreneurial plunge. Becca’s background is certainly tailor-made for business, having a finance and sales resume and 18 years in the fast-moving technology sector. She and partner Justin loved and lived to travel the globe and enjoy each culture through its local cuisine. Their passion helped them find their way into some of the world’s top restaurants and learn from famous chefs. They had always felt that the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean held the finest salts on the planet and so it became their hobby to harvest it and enhance it with spices to highlight the flavors in different foods. Their steak salt became famous in their circle of family and friends to the point of being asked for shipments of the condiment. But it was the worst of times - the lockdowns during COVID – that increased the frequency and quantities being requested to the point of propelling them into birthing their new business, The Portland Salt Co; the best of times. Much of the magic of the company is in the balancing of the purity of the Pacific sea salt with the added herbs and spices. Becca wants the cooks and chefs using their product to spend time and effort over the stove and not extra prep time blending and mixing spices and rubs. All this comes from Becca’s lifelong love affair with food as a lens into people’s enjoyment and culture. She loves to cook and entertain, so she definitely has her audience in mind when creating condiments and rubs to add to their ceremony of preparing meals for family and friends. Obviously, the company is young. And Becca’s time in hi-tech is not over, Portland Salt Co is a side-gig for now until it takes on more popularity. However, the couple has accomplished much in a relatively short time. You can find their products on select grocery store shelves in Oregon and Washington, including those of our sponsor, Market of Choice. Also, you can order from their website, which is very tastefully done. There are individual condiments, spices and rubs in addition to terrific looking gift packs. Their website reflects their philosophy of being in business: “Connecting through culinary experiences is our love language. We hope our products inspire your cooking and lead to delicious adventures and lasting memories of your own”. Website: https://portlandsaltco.com/ Instagram: @portlandsaltco Also on LinkedIn and Twitter. Our hosts: Twitter - @sarahmasoni and @spicymarshall Instagram - @masoniandmarshall
Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall, owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast.
Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon.
Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House
Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers
Show logo design: Anton Kimball of Kimball Design
Production Coordinators: Dave Drusky
