Salt Odyssey

The Story behind an iconic Smoked Fine Sea Salt, smoked intensively for 140 consecutive hours in natural beech wood

Discovery

Greek sea salts are ubiquitous, rather like their culinary cousins olive oil, herbs and honey. The company Salt Odyssey, known as Biodynami within the Greek market, is characterized by its robust packaging in compact, flat jars or in practical salt mills and by its range of saline offerings. Two friends, as close as brothers, Marios Karaslithis and Harris Sionas decided to delve into the production and distribution of natural Greek raw salt. Their preoccupation with the food industry has been a family affair since 1982 when they established a workshop and store manufacturing and selling health foods in the city of Thessaloniki, the capital of Northern Greece.

Harvested in the salinas of Messolonghi, located in western Greece, the salt’s purity results from the abundant natural habitat which is rich in wildlife and noted for the placid waters of its bountiful lagoon. One of the largest salt producers worldwide, the company offers a luxuriant range encompassing pure sea salts, salt flakes, salts with herbs and spices such as turmeric, oregano, sesame and caraway and rose-coloured Himalayan salt.

Salt Odyssey’s iconic product is however their Smoked Fine Sea Salt, smoked intensively for 140 consecutive hours in natural beech wood. Much awarded and exported to twelve countries, it is praised for its deep, smoky flavour, toasty brown colour and phenomenal aroma. It imports a bacon like taste so is very popular with vegetarians and vegans as well.

An established producer in the salt market, the company produces a luxuriant range encompassing pure sea salts, salt flakes, salts with herbs and spices such as turmeric, oregano, sesame and caraway and rose-colored Himalayan salt

Memory

The company was founded in 2008 under the name Biodynami and started out by placing superior organic and health food products in stores. There was a shortage of quality salt in the market and the founders’ passion for the aromas and flavours of herbs and spices combined to create the brand’s range. In 2015 they began exporting their fine products that is why they introduced and English name, Salt Odyssey, borrowing the idea of a journey of discovery from Homer’s epic hero, Odysseus. As Greece was going through a crisis at this time, the country needed ambassadors to promote its products worldwide.

Prior to their new creation, the founders already had experience in the saline industry having launched Messolongi salt, the first 100% Greek salt in the market. Using this as a base, the additional raw materials, various herbs and spices such as smoked paprika and sesame seeds, are all of Greek origin, the sesame coming from Evros in Northern Greece.

The founders’ passion for the aromas and flavours of herbs and spices combined to create the Salt Odyssey range, borrowing the idea of a journey of discovery from Homer’s epic hero, Odysseus

Narration

The salt marsh gardens of Messolongi extend for kilometers and once the plotted fields are allowed to drain, the ground yields the crusty salt which is then heaped into blindingly white pyramids. The lagoon there also accommodates flocks of spindly legged flamingos. In all its verbal and literary references since antiquity, salt has been considered an element necessary for nourishment and thriving. Salt Odyssey combines a natural source of this nutrient, vital to our existence, with a gastronomic excellence.