Zeeuwsche Zoute Saltworks - Bruinisse

Although this saltworks was established in 2018, salt has been mined in Zeeland for thousands of years. It is known that the Romans were already paid with bags of salt, a precious commodity at the time. In the Middle Ages, salt was used on an increasingly large scale. It was used not only to preserve food, but also to flavour dishes.

At the Zeeuwsche Zoute, salt is extracted from the seawater of the Oosterschelde estuary. In doing so, they combine the 500-year-old Zeeland craft with modern techniques. The seawater is pumped up and purified as it flows through sandbanks, oyster and mussel beds. It is then boiled down, crystallised and finally, when the crystals are just right, harvested.

The Bruinisse saltworks is the only salt factory in the Netherlands that produces local salt in this way. They now have several flavour variations, such as salt with seaweed, herbs or smoked salt. You will find the salt barrels in various regional shops and local restaurants, but you might also come across Zeeuwsche Zoute in starred restaurants in Amsterdam, for example.

Curious about how the salt is produced and the story behind the saltworks? Book a guided tour of the visitor centre (always book in advance).