East Neuk Salt Co - Bringing Salt Home!

Home is where the heart beats best!

I was born and bred in the East Neuk of Fife in Scotland. I left my home town of St.Monans when I was 17 thinking the world had more to offer. I worked across the whole of the UK in different jobs, most recently working in a care setting managing a team through the covid pandemic. Through all my life I felt something was missing and 2 years ago realised it was home. After 18 years away, I am home and aiming to set up the East Neuk Salt Co.

In 2018 my wife and I, and our two young daughters, left the Highlands and headed back to the East Neuk where I was born. The minute my feet touched home soil and the sea, I knew home was where the heart beats best. 

St.Monans has a rich history of salt harvesting. We have the most beautiful windmilll and Pan house ruins to remind us of our past. It was on a family walk at the Salt pans one day that the idea came to me to bring back salt harvesting to the East Neuk. Since that day we have worked extremely hard, with the support of many people in our community, to realise this idea.  The heritage we once had in salt harvesting is as important as the future we can create by bringing salt harvesting back to the shores of the East Neuk.

This crowdfunder is the final step in us realising our dream of bringing salt home and celebrating the heritage of a once thriving industry.  Your support will allow us to purchase the final pieces of equipment we require to produce salt at scale.  This will include the 2500 litre Vacuum Evaporator and Crystalliser beds;  both pieces of kit are fundamental to get us to scale where local employment and development can occur. 

After months of searching, we have successfully obtained premises in Leven, which sits along the coast from St.Monans and the East Neuk. The creation of the East Neuk Salt Co will bring many benefits to the local area - the main one being local employment. I left my home at 17 to find work and I hope the creation of the East Neuk Salt Co will help us to create opportunities to let young people stay in the area, whilst also employing those with skills already in the area.

The Vision

Our vision is to be one of the most innovative sea salt harvesting companies in Scotland. The demand from the food sector and restaurants operating at Michelin Star level has been incredible.  We want to create a salt company where everyone can access top quality sea salt. 

Our vision is one of growth. Growth that is firmly rooted to our area and growth that never forgets our past. The heritage of the East Neuk is the strong foundation we plan to build the East Neuk Salt Co on.

Rewards Rewards Rewards!

At our core we are all about promoting and collaborating with other local businesses to celebrate the vibrant food scene of the East Neuk. To reflect this, we have developed a number of rewards - from seafood and meat boxes, to a tasting menu at our local Michelin starred restaurant. There's an exclusive opportunity to have your name added to our wall of thanks by the fantastic graffiti artist Paco Graff, and the chance to get hands on with a salt harvesting experience.

Check out Paco's work! https://www.facebook.com/pacograff/

 We believe there's something for everyone, and for those who live a little further away, don't worry, we have rewards that can be sent out too!

Be Part of the Journey!

Only with your support can we bring salt home to the East Neuk. Whether you live locally or afar, we want you to feel truly part of the East Neuk Salt Co and become part of our journey. The minute you pledge you'll become part of our story, and will be helping to make history by bringing salt back home, several centuries after the last grain was harvested. 

We would like to extend a special thank you to Cellardyke based film maker Bill Bruce of Different Video for creating our crowdfunder film & John Bulloch of Slate Productions for building our heritage films. Without you both....we would not be where we are today!  Super stars behind the camera!