Entrepreneur: Donald Brown of Saltcor

Salt is simple and plentiful, and it tends to be something we take for granted. For Donald Brown, though, salt has been serious business for over 40 years.

Brown owns one of SA’s five biggest salt producers, and salt has always been part of his life. “I grew up in Port Elizabeth, where my father was manager of a salt pan,” he says.

His father drew Brown into the world of salt. “He bought his own salt pan near Brandvlei and established Verland Salt,” says Brown.

Working with his father, Brown learnt all there is to know about salt. There was one problem, though. “My father was a salt production expert but he was not a good businessman,” says Brown.

Verland Salt folded and Brown went his own way, establishing a consumer goods prepacking firm in Queenstown. He proved to be an astute businessman.

But he could not turn his back on the salt industry. Brown sold his prepack business and in 1975 was back in Brandvlei, where Verland Salt was reborn as Saltcor.

“Those early days were tough,” says Brown. “We were short of equipment and often did not know how we were going to get money to pay weekly wages.”

Somehow they did get paid and Brown’s business went on to thrive. Today, under the banner of Donald Brown Group of Companies, he has assembled Saltcor, Royal Salt, Salpura, export arm African Salt Works and salt interests in Namibia.

Brown prides himself on having built a business with no outside shareholders. “We are a family business,” he says.

Among the family members on board are Brown’s son Stephen as group MD and his daughter Donné, MD of Johannesburg-based African Salt Works, who oversees the export of 35% of group production.

There is no shortage of demand for salt. Beyond domestic uses, salt finds its way into areas as diverse as food, agriculture, petrochemicals, soap production and leather tanning. In all, salt has 14,000 uses.

But it is a low-priced commodity. “You have to innovate to differentiate yourself,” says Brown.

The biggest innovative success for the group is salt grinders marketed under the Kalahari brand. They have also gone international in a tie-up with hospitality sector supplier Oryx.

“Our grinders are being sold to restaurants in 23 countries,” says Brown. “The salt is seen as coming from a pristine, unpolluted area.”

Taking innovation further, Brown’s group is also marketing a variety of speciality products such as smoked salt, barbecue flavour salt and wine-infused salt.

When Brown is not engrossed in business he takes time off to indulge another passion. “I am mad about sport, especially rugby and tennis,” he says.

Another passion is his game farm near Matjiesfontein in the Karoo, where his pride and joy is a family of Peruvian alpacas. “They all look the same but each one has its own distinctive personality,” says Brown.

After over 40 years in the salt game, Brown has no intention of retiring. “I can’t see myself sitting around doing nothing,” he says. “I keep my finger on the pulse and meet regularly with clients. The business keeps me alert.”