Salt and Straw
Salt & Straw is a Portland-based artisanal ice cream company operating 50+ company-owned scoop shops across the US, producing handcrafted, rotating monthly-flavor ice cream sold via retail, nationwide DTC shipping, subscription pint clubs, and corporate gifting to individual consumers and event hosts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Salt and Straw does
Salt & Straw is a privately held, Portland, Oregon-based artisanal ice cream company founded in 2011 by cousins Kim Malek (CEO) and Tyler Malek (head ice cream maker). The company produces handcrafted ice cream built on a high-butterfat cream base sourced from fifth-generation Scott Brothers Dairy, with proprietary techniques including a caramel ribboning method (cooking caramel longer so it suspends cleanly in the base) and a freckling technique for dispersing untempered chocolate in dairy-free bases. Its product portfolio centers on a rotating monthly limited-edition flavor series (e.g., The Berries Series), a permanent Classics menu led by Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Chocolate Gooey Brownie, a Best Sellers dairy-free pack, specialty ice cream cakes, and a Mercantile line of cookbooks, apparel, candles, and culinary perfume; the company commits to keeping at least 20% of its menu dairy-free year-round. At least 20% of the menu is always dairy-free.
The company operates 50+ company-owned (non-franchised) scoop shops across Arizona, California (Northern, Southern/Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego), Florida, Nevada, New England, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, including locations in Disney properties, malls, and tourist destinations. Revenue is generated through in-store retail, nationwide DTC shipping via FedEx/UPS with a 5-pint minimum, mobile ordering via iOS/Android apps and the Thanx platform, Pints Club subscription packs (3/6/12 month terms at 10–20% discounts), and corporate gifting/bulk orders for events. Pricing is positioned at the premium end of the category, approximately $15 per pint and $75 per 5-pint pack, with $65 per 6-pack of Tacolates and $300 per 60-cup Party Pack.
Distribution is complemented by a high-profile co-development partnership with Taco Bell for The Tacolate (launched October 2025 after more than five years of development), an inflight dessert placement on Alaska Airlines' International Business Class Suites (effective March 2026), a Miami-based collaboration with The Salty Donut, and recurring charitable partnerships with World Central Kitchen, Hot Bread Kitchen, Urban Gleaners, and the Trevor Project. The company is recognized as a leading artisanal ice cream brand by Epicurious, The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, and USA Today, and is identified as a key player in the artisanal ice cream market alongside Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Van Leeuwen, Graeter's, and Havmor. Total disclosed external funding to date is approximately $8.7M across two rounds ($4.5M from Oregon Venture Fund in May 2019 and $4.2M in December 2024), and the company remains founder-controlled with no parent organization or subsidiaries.
Salt and Straw firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Salt and Straw
- Legal name
- Salt & Straw, LLC
- Website
- https://saltandstraw.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Salt & Straw is a Portland-based artisanal ice cream company operating 50+ company-owned scoop shops across the US, producing handcrafted, rotating monthly-flavor ice cream sold via retail, nationwide DTC shipping, subscription pint clubs, and corporate gifting to individual consumers and event hosts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Salt and Straw industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisanal Ice Cream
- NAICS
- Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)
- SIC
- Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ice Cream & Frozen Dairy Wholesale (AFAIAEAF)
Keywords
Where Salt and Straw is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Salt and Straw business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Scoop Shop Retail Sales: Salt & Straw operates a chain of scoop shops across the United States where customers purchase ice cream by the scoop or in cups/cones. Shops are located in high-traffic retail areas, malls, and tourist destinations. Revenue is generated through in-store purchases at individual locations.
- Nationwide Ice Cream Shipping: Salt & Straw ships pints nationwide via FedEx and UPS (Monday–Thursday), packed in insulated coolers with dry ice. Minimum order of 5 pints required. This direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel extends reach beyond physical store locations.
- Pint Subscriptions (Pints Club): Pre-paid recurring pint subscriptions delivered monthly for 3, 6, or 12 months. Customers can choose from rotating monthly flavors, classic best sellers, or dairy-free packs. Subscription plans offer 10–20% discounts for longer terms.
- Ice Cream Cakes and Celebration Catering: The company sells ice cream cakes (e.g., The Cake, Black Forest Cake) and party packs (single-serve cups) for celebrations, events, and corporate gifting, targeting both consumer and B2B occasions.
- Merchandise: Salt & Straw sells branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, hats), cookbooks, kitchen tools (ice cream scoops, canteens), candles, culinary perfumes, and enamel pins through its Mercantile collection.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Pints of the Month subscription — monthly rotating flavors, 5 pints per shipment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Best Sellers Classics Pack — 5 classic pints |
| Subscription | Monthly | Best Sellers Dairy-Free Pack — 5 dairy-free pints |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Tacolate (6-pack) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Party Pack — 60 single-serve cups |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Cake (Ice Cream Cake) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Salt and Straw product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Salt & Straw produces and sells handcrafted artisanal ice cream in pints and by the scoop, made with locally-sourced ingredients and high-butterfat cream. The product line includes rotating monthly limited-edition flavors alongside permanent classics, with at least 20% of the menu kept dairy-free year-round, and is distributed through company-owned scoop shops, nationwide DTC shipping, subscriptions, and bulk/event orders.
Product overview
Salt & Straw is a craft ice cream company offering a portfolio of handcrafted ice cream products through multiple channels. The core offering consists of artisanal ice cream pints featuring rotating monthly limited-edition flavors alongside permanent classic staples. Notable products include The Tacolate collaboration with Taco Bell, specialty ice cream cakes for celebrations, and curated bundles such as Best Sellers Packs in both dairy and dairy-free varieties. The company operates subscription services delivering monthly pint selections, merchandise under the Mercantile brand, and digital gift cards. Distribution occurs through retail scoop shops across multiple U.S. states, nationwide shipping, and mobile applications for iOS and Android. The company maintains a commitment to keeping at least 20% of its menu dairy-free year-round.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ice Cream Pints Handcrafted artisanal ice cream available in rotating monthly flavors and classic staples, sold in pint-sized containers for nationwide shipping and in-store purchase.
- The Tacolate A taco-shaped ice cream treat co-developed with Taco Bell featuring cinnamon-ancho chile ice cream in a sog-resistant waffle cone taco shell dipped in dark chocolate and studded with puffed quinoa, with optional Mango Jalapeño and Wildberry Cinnamon sauce.
- Ice Cream Cakes Custom ice cream cakes available in varieties including The Cake and Black Forest Cake (vegan and gluten-free), designed for celebrations and events.
- Pints of the Month Subscription Monthly subscription delivering 5 pints of rotating seasonal flavors to subscribers' doors, featuring limited-edition monthly menu series such as The Berries Series.
- Best Sellers Pack: Classics Curated 5-pint bundle of perennial favorite flavors including Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Double Fold Vanilla, Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Gooey Brownie, and Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
- Best Sellers Pack: Dairy-Free Curated 5-pint bundle of dairy-free flavors including Peanut Butter Brittle Caramel Fudge, Hazelnut Cookies & Cream, Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip, and Strawberry and Coconut Water Sherbet.
- Pints Club Pre-paid Gift Subscriptions Gift subscriptions available in 3, 6, or 12 month terms delivering monthly pint shipments, with options for Pints of the Month, Best Sellers Classic, or Best Sellers Dairy-Free bundles.
- Mercantile (Merchandise) Brand merchandise including the Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook, America's Most Iconic Ice Creams Cookbook, apparel, candles, edible perfume, enamel pins, ice cream scoops, and canteens.
- Digital Gift Cards Electronic gift cards redeemable for ice cream, merchandise, and subscriptions at all scoop shop locations and for online orders.
- Party Pack Bulk ordering option featuring 60 single-serve cups (3.6oz each) of classic bestsellers for events and gatherings, including Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Chocolate Gooey Brownie, Double Fold Vanilla, and Strawberry & Coconut Water Sherbet.
Quantifiable outcome
- At least 20% of the menu is always dairy-free year-round
Companies that use Salt and Straw
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Salt and Straw technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Salt and Straw partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Alaska AirlinesminorSalt & Straw provides desserts for Alaska Airlines' new International Business Class Suites on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The premium inflight experience features Salt & Straw desserts as part of restaurant-quality dining curated with chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, supporting Alaska Airlines' strategic expansion into long-haul international routes.
- Taco BellcoreSalt & Straw and Taco Bell co-developed The Tacolate, a taco-shaped ice cream treat launched October 3, 2025, after more than five years of development. The product features cinnamon and ancho chile ice cream in a waffle cone taco shell dipped in single-origin chocolate and dusted with toasted brown rice. The collaboration was highlighted at Taco Bell's Live Más LIVE event and has been recognized as a top 2026 food trend.
- The Salty DonutminorSalt & Straw partnered with Miami-based artisanal donut shop The Salty Donut to create The Salty Donut Guava + Cheese ice cream flavor, featuring cream cheese ice cream, glazed brioche donut chunks, Florida guava curd, and puffed pastry streusel. The Salty Donut supplies its signature donuts for the collaboration.
- World Central KitchenminorWorld Central Kitchen is a charitable partner of Salt & Straw, first to the frontlines providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
- Hot Bread KitchenminorHot Bread Kitchen is a charitable partner of Salt & Straw, creating economic opportunities for women, immigrants, and people of color through job skills training and food entrepreneurship programs.
- Urban GleanersminorUrban Gleaners is a charitable partner of Salt & Straw, working to reduce food waste and eliminate hunger by collecting food and redistributing meals to underrepresented communities in Portland.
- The Trevor ProjectminorThe Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people, is a charitable partner of Salt & Straw.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Salt and Straw competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams: Jeni's is Salt & Straw's most direct peer, identified alongside it as a key player in the artisanal ice cream market. Jeni's similarly operates scoop shops, ships DTC nationwide, and develops unconventional, ingredient-forward flavors with strong media positioning.
- Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Van Leeuwen is explicitly identified as a key artisanal ice cream peer. Both brands target premium consumers with novel flavors, operate scoop shop retail, and have built national DTC and grocery distribution, with Van Leeuwen slightly ahead on East Coast presence.
- Graeter's Ice Cream: Graeter's is named as a fellow key player in the artisanal ice cream space. Both brands position on craft manufacturing and premium ingredients, with Graeter's bringing a longer heritage and stronger grocery/wholesale distribution to the comparison.
Broad incumbents
- Häagen-Dazs: Häagen-Dazs is a mass-market premium ice cream incumbent owned by Nestlé with global distribution, grocery, and foodservice presence. It competes for the same premium-occasion consumer wallet as Salt & Straw, though at lower price points and with much broader scale.
- Ben & Jerry's: Ben & Jerry's is a Unilever-owned super-premium ice cream brand with national scoop shop, grocery, and DTC reach. Its flavor innovation engine and brand-led marketing make it a broad incumbent competitor for cultural relevance and consumer mindshare.
- Talenti Gelato: Talenti is a Unilever-owned premium gelato and ice cream brand sold primarily through grocery and DTC channels. It competes for the same premium-occasion consumer with novel flavor profiles, though at a lower price point and without a scoop shop footprint.
- Tillamook Ice Cream: Tillamook is a regional dairy co-operative with a national ice cream line positioned around premium ingredients and clean label credentials. It overlaps with Salt & Straw on ingredient-quality positioning and Pacific Northwest brand heritage, but operates at grocery scale.
Emerging players
- 16 Handles: 16 Handles is a frozen yogurt and ice cream self-serve chain with a franchise-led model. It overlaps with Salt & Straw on the scoop shop experience but competes at a different price point and with a much broader but less premium consumer proposition.
- Ample Hills Creamery: Ample Hills is a craft scoop shop and pint brand with strong story-driven marketing. It is comparable to Salt & Straw on artisanal positioning and flavor storytelling, though it operates at smaller scale and has a more limited DTC footprint.
- Coolhaus: Coolhaus is a premium ice cream and novelty brand with a food-truck origin and national grocery distribution. It is comparable to Salt & Straw on premium positioning and DTC packaging, though it competes more on novelties (ice cream sandwiches, bars) than scoop shop experience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Salt and Straw social profiles
Digital presenceSalt and Straw financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Salt and Straw leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Salt and Straw funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Salt and Straw M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Salt and Straw
What does Salt and Straw do?
Salt & Straw produces and sells handcrafted artisanal ice cream in pints and by the scoop, made with locally-sourced ingredients and high-butterfat cream. The product line includes rotating monthly limited-edition flavors alongside permanent classics, with at least 20% of the menu kept dairy-free year-round, and is distributed through company-owned scoop shops, nationwide DTC shipping, subscriptions, and bulk/event orders.
Is Salt and Straw a public or private company?
Salt and Straw is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Salt and Straw founded?
Salt and Straw was founded in 2011. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Salt and Straw based?
Salt and Straw is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Salt and Straw make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Scoop Shop Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are nationwide Ice Cream Shipping, pint Subscriptions (Pints Club), ice Cream Cakes and Celebration Catering and merchandise.
Who are Salt and Straw's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream and Graeter's Ice Cream. Broad incumbents are Häagen-Dazs, Ben & Jerry's, Talenti Gelato and Tillamook Ice Cream. Emerging players are 16 Handles, Ample Hills Creamery and Coolhaus.
Does Salt and Straw have an API?
No public API is recorded for Salt and Straw.
What industry is Salt and Straw in?
Salt and Straw's product category is Artisanal Ice Cream. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADACAE, Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts, with a secondary code of AFAIAEAF, Ice Cream & Frozen Dairy Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 311520 and its SIC code is 2024.