Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivy Watrous
Hi IVY, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I fell in love with food when I was just a kid. By the time I was 7, I was already in the kitchen, making everything from breakfast to cakes and dinners for my family. My real culinary adventure began when I started working in restaurants. Over the past 15 years, I’ve tried my hand at just about everything—host, server, line cook, pastry chef, and even general manager.
For me, food is all about bringing people together. I’ve always felt that sharing a meal creates moments of connection and joy, and I wanted to pass that feeling along to others.
Three years ago, I took a chance and started The Salted Roots. I began with a simple Red Wine Salt for friends and family, and things have really taken off since then. We’re now at numerous markets each week and have been featured in local shops. Sometimes I still pinch myself at how far we’ve come. We now offer six (soon to be seven) salts and two sugars, with plenty more creative flavors in the pipeline!
This summer was especially special as my husband and I got married. His support has been incredible—whether he’s helping brainstorm new flavors or just keeping me grounded, I honestly couldn’t do it without him.
Our goal is pretty straightforward: we want to help everyday cooks feel like top chefs, grill masters, or mixologists, using the best ingredients we can find. It’s all about making your cooking experience a little more special.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t been easy—it’s been filled with its share of challenges. Yet, despite the hurdles, this journey has been incredibly rewarding. Balancing work and life continues to be a struggle at times, but seeing how much people appreciate and use my products in their everyday lives makes it all worthwhile.
The challenges are numerous: finding ways to streamline the production process, creating engaging online content, managing the preparation and travel for markets, juggling multiple market commitments, and keeping up with the financials. It often feels like there’s so much to do and so little time to get it all done!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I genuinely believe our company stands out from other seasoning brands because we truly LOVE what we do, and we believe we have something special. Our commitment is to keep everything as fresh, natural, and creative as possible, without overwhelming our customers with complexity. Our salts and sugars are incredibly versatile and can be used by anyone, in countless ways.
We’ve seen kids sprinkle our Smoked Thai Basil Salt on their mac & cheese, grill masters enhance their ribs with Whiskey Sugar, and bartenders get inventive with Prickly Chipotle Salt in their mezcal margaritas. Our products aren’t limited to a single dish or drink; we encourage everyone to let their creativity run wild.
What sets us apart is our unique process of double infusing each recipe, which brings out a depth of flavor and uniqueness that you won’t find anywhere else.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
For anyone just starting out, the key is to find your niche—discover what you’re truly passionate about and figure out how to share that passion with others. Stay true to what makes your product unique, and don’t let anyone stand in your way. I’ve faced doubters who said this was “just another hobby” that wouldn’t lead anywhere, but I knew deep down that The Salted Roots was my true calling. It took a lot of time to perfect my recipes, learn how to manage markets, build a website, get my name out there, and network with the right people.
My best advice for newcomers is to keep the bigger picture in mind. If you truly believe in your product or idea, you can turn it into reality.
And here’s a practical tip: when choosing a name, make sure to secure all relevant social media handles—like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc. I didn’t realize how challenging it would be to get handles for “The Salted Roots” because of the word “the.” Lesson learned—plan ahead!
Pricing:
- All of our products are $16!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thesaltedroots.com
- Instagram: @thesaltedroots
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSaltedRootsUtah
