West Virginia Executive Spring/Summer 2020 | Page 53

J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works
BY CATHY BONNSTETTER. J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works in
Malden, WV, began as an enterprise in 1817. While the company
took a hiatus starting in 1945, CEO Nancy Bruns and her
brother, Lewis Payne, revived their family’s business in 2013.
“Our story and heritage are pure West Virginia,” says Bruns.
“West Virginians area very supportive of their own and take
great pride in locally made products. I feel as if I have a whole
state of ambassadors who share our story and products with
their friends and family around the world. I don’t think you
would find that in many other states.”
At J.Q. Dickinson, natural flavor is king, and
the company works hard to stay ahead of foodie
trends and finnicky palates. In July, the company
debuted two new salts, ghost
pepper salt and mushroom and herb
salt. The Kanawha Valley sits on top
of a trapped ancient sea, and at the
salt work, this brine is drawn to the
surface and solar evaporated in sun
houses. Employees then hand harvest the
ancient salt. Patriot Guardens, a West Virginia
Army National Guard initiative, is growing the
peppers and herbs for the ghost pepper salt, and
Hernshaw Farms, located on a reclaimed mine
in Kanawha County, supplies the mushrooms
for the mushroom and herb blend.
These new blends join the company’s already significant line
that includes heirloom blends, plain salt, smoked and cocktail
salts and brine mixes. At J.Q. Dickinson, all products start with
one ingredient—ancient sea salt—and all share a common core
of Appalachian elements.
J.Q. Dickinson sells its culinary products to restaurants,
retailers and directly to consumers around the world, and its salt
can be found in 43 states. Locally, the salt works hosts farmto-table
dinners, rents its picturesque grounds for events and
hosts the annual BB&T Malden Salt Fest, a festival featuring
live music, a parade, food trucks, artisans and craft beer.
Bruns has turned the company’s biggest challenge—shipping
to the West Coast—into a positive by crediting customers for
large orders, a strategy that keeps shipping costs manageable
and has increased market share
in that region.
The company recently
launched J.Q. Dickinson Appalachian
Mercantile, a monthly
subscription box business that
showcases Appalachian food,
crafts and home products.
While the COVID-19 pandemic
has temporarily changed
the marketplace landscape for
J.Q. Dickinson, the company’s
e-commerce business has increased
significantly. •
Photo by Lauren
Stonestreet.
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