Oryx Desert Salt Expands into US Food Stores Amid Sea Salt Scrutiny

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 8, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- South African sea salt company, Oryx Desert Salt, announced its expansion into U.S. Whole Foods Market stores amid growing consumer scrutiny over microplastics in traditional sea salt. Now in approximately 485 stores, the salt provider has held onto this listing for around five years as part of its expansion into over 23 countries. Consumers are paying more attention to pantry staples, and this attention applies to salt as publishers have documented potential contaminants in sea salt.

The Research: Plastic Salt?

Sea salt is created by evaporating salt water, leaving behind the salt once the water is gone. As a byproduct, what is in the water is then within the salt. This can include microplastics.

A 2015 study conducted at East China Normal University in Shanghai hypothesized there was a connection between microplastics and sea salt. The research tested 15 brands of sea salts, lake salts, and rock/well salts from supermarkets across China. The study concluded that sea salts contained more evidence of microplastics compared to other salts tested.

A different study published in 2018 provided further evidence of the relationship between microplastics and sea salt. Participants tested 39 salt brands from around the globe, including 28 sea salt brands from 16 countries on six continents. After testing, the report concluded that sea salts once again contained the highest quantity of microplastics.

Specifically, unrefined salts were linked to plastic content in rivers and microplastics in the surrounding seawater. The 2018 study was referenced by National Geographic in an article reporting that as much as 90% of table salt, as of 2018, contained microplastics.

What Makes Oryx Different

Oryx Desert Salt initially established its salt process with the intention of bringing a pure salt from an uncontaminated, pristine source to the market. Exactly because of that source, it also circumvented microplastic contamination in its salt. The company uses a 5,000-hectare pan from an underground brine aquifer in the Kalahari Desert to make this possible.

There, three subterranean streams are filtered through Dwyka rock formations and into the brine aquifer. It is fairly isolated, with the nearest town approximately 155 miles away.

The surface temperature of the desert can reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, leading the pumped brine to crystallize in around four weeks. Post-crystallization, the salt is packed with no bleaching, additives, or anti-caking agents.

The process and later expansion were all made possible by one woman in South Africa with a dream of bringing the ancient process to tables around the world.

About Oryx Desert Salt

Samantha Skyring founded Oryx Desert Salt in 2011, selling her home in Johannesburg to fund the company. In the beginning, Skyring bought 34 tonnes of Kalahari salt and hand-packed the earliest grinders from home, where she was raising her son as a single mom. Initially self-funded, she sold to farmers' markets, independent delis, health shops, and restaurants in South Africa. In 2013, what followed was 12 years of mentorship and investment by Evolve Capital — brothers Ian and Garth Solomon — also 5 years of support from Pape Funds, which supported Skyring in growing the business and building her vision. During the pandemic, the business lost 60% of its revenue. Instead of retreating, Skyring focused on acquiring Whole Foods Market as a retailer. Her efforts earned Oryx Desert Salt a national listing with Whole Foods in September of 2021. Since then, distribution has scaled. Oryx is available from other major retailers such as Amazon and World Market, and even supplies sachets to JetBlue and Amtrak passengers. Skyring was recognized with South Africa’s Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2024. Oryx Desert Salt remains founder-led and stays true to its original mission of being an alternative to conventional table salt and sea salt. For more information, visit oryxdesertsalt.com and follow on Instagram. 

Disclaimer

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. References to third-party studies on microplastics in sea salt are for informational context only and do not constitute direct clinical testing or health guarantees regarding specific product outcomes.

Media Contact

Samantha Skyring
sam@oryxdesertsalt.com