Slovenian Salt Enters Croatian Market

Croatia’s three main salt producers have just received some more competition from abroad.  Slovenian salt producers “Soline Pridelava soli” from Piran have entered the Croatian market.

An average of 1,000 tonnes of sea salt are harvested in the Piran saltpans annually using traditional methods, and the Slovenes, who made a break through in the UK market, have just opened their first salt shop in the northern Adriatic town of Umag. In the UK the Slovenian sea salt is available at Selfridges stores in London and Birmingham and through Selfridges Online.

“We have opened a store in Umag, and soon we will open stores in other towns in Istria and Zagreb. Piran saltpans salt is sold in a different way, through stores, and we sell cosmetic salt, edible salt and flower salt,” said the stores owner Marin Paretic, adding that they are excited how things have started after just one month operating in Croatia, with the store selling as much salt as its store in Bled, Slovenia.

The new entry onto the salt market in Croatia is not worrying the locals. Croatia’s largest salt producers – Solana Pag, and its other producers in Ston and Nin, can produce up to 20,000 tonnes of salt annually, whilst the saltpans in Piran, Slovenia maximum capticity is around 5,000 tonnes. Income generated by Croatia’s largest salt producer Solana Pag in 2012 was 62.6 million kuna (8 million EUR)