Expanding Business for Alberger® Salt

For years, Alberger® salt was known for the unique burst of flavor it added to meats, sauces and even the rims of margarita glasses. When Cargill purchased the North American operations of Akzo Nobel’s salt business in 1997, it also acquired the Alberger salt brand. Very little was known about the process used to make the specialty salt.

Cargill scientists and engineers soon identified the science behind the process. The unique, multi-faceted crystal structure with a hollow diamond shape was the result of the Alberger evaporation process, named after Louis Alberger, who developed it in the 1880s. Purified brine was brought up from underground deposits, placed in open pans and gently agitated. With this controlled method of evaporation, the salt formed into several kinds of flakes—including the famous Diamond Crystal® Kosher Salt.

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt was the only kosher salt made this way, and it became popular among delis, grocers and restaurants in New York City’s Jewish community. Coarse, lightweight and flaky, Diamond Crystal salt adhered easily to food, dissolved quickly and blended smoothly.

Cargill made several upgrades to the Alberger salt process to align its production with the company’s strict safety standards. Upgrading the process to bring it in line with modern safety and operating standards gave Cargill unique knowledge of the methods for making Alberger salt and allowed the company to protect the process as a trade secret. Cargill’s salt business has since marketed the significant advantages of the Alberger salt crystal, which delivers a more intense salt flavor compared to evaporated and granulated salts.

Today, Alberger brand salt is recognized by leading snack manufacturers around the globe as an effective tool that may reduce sodium without compromising taste. Salt made with the process remains very popular, and consumers across the country can pick up a box of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt at their local grocery stores to experience the benefits of this unique product.

[image caption] First introduced in the 1880s, Alberger salt has been a favorite in Jewish culture ever since. Brett Reichler is one of many kosher chefs who exclusively use the specialty brand.