About Saffron & Salt
Chief Spice Officer Ashley Priest
I’m Ashley Priest, the owner of Saffron and Salt. My mission is to create unique condiments that draw on nostalgia to create innovative products that bring unexpected flavors to everyday meals.
Saffron and Salt was founded in honor of my Grandma Margaret. She and my Grandpa Francis loved planning and attending to their elaborate gardens every summer, where they would grow produce to sell at their roadside stand. Grandpa Francis loved to sit in the shade at the roadside stand, making friends with strangers and showing off the best of their homegrown fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, Grandma Margaret would be elbow-deep in dirt in the garden or sweating over a hot stove in the kitchen, canning their bounty for the winter months.
Baby Ashley
Every year, my mom would drag my siblings and me to grandma’s house to help with the gardening and canning. She thought it would build good character, and I think she was right – there’s no greater test of fortitude than standing over a steaming canning bath in late August in a house with no air conditioning. The thing I looked forward to the most was being done, when my grandma would serve up cold, refreshing ice cream with raspberries picked fresh that day.
Despite the physical discomfort of a mass canning operation, when I look back on those memories now, it just makes me appreciate my Grandma Margaret so much more. She instilled in me a love of homegrown produce and an appreciation for the kinds of recipes passed down from generation to generation.
Grandpa Francis & Grandma Margaret
Love of food and a sense of tradition is the foundation and inspiration for Saffron and Salt. I want each and every customer to experience the flavors of our condiments and partake in my family traditions – minus the labor. Our signature Candied Jalapeños are inspired by Grandma Margaret and a recipe she held dear. Sharing them with the world is my way of honoring her and the lessons she taught me for years to come.
You can find Saffron and Salt products at local farmer’s market, local retailers across Southeast Michigan and online. Try them on your morning eggs, in sandwiches, or stirred into your favorite chili recipe. We’d also love to hear about the creative ways you’re using our products, so email us at ashley@saffronandsalt.com and share your signature recipes.
Meet the Team
Aaron Priest | CFO, Product Development, and Sales
As the partner of Ashley, Saffron & Salt’s founder and Chief Spice Officer, Aaron has been onboard since his first taste of candied jalapeños. He’s had a front-row seat as Ashley grew the business from the spark of an idea into a burgeoning condiment empire, and he’s loved being there to support her hard work, creativity, and experimentation.
Aaron oversees our finances, sales, and product development. In the near future, he would love to release a tangy, spicy Saffron & Salt BBQ sauce. He dreams of us opening a commercial kitchen where we can cook and rent space to other small food producers, with a store where we can sell all our combined products. Which of our products does he like best? The first product we ever released, Candied Jalapeños. He says he loves meals that are “pretty spicy” (as long as it’s not for every meal), and he has a soft spot for his mom’s lasagna.
Mary Lonczynski | Quality Assurance & Product Development
With an education in culinary arts and a family that includes both Polish and Lebanese heritage, Mary brings an incredible sense of taste to the Saffron & Salt team. (Get it?) Working alongside Ashley, she helps develop and test new recipes, as well as cooking batches of products. She also staffs our table at various local markets throughout the year, chatting with customers and getting ideas for what they might like in future flavors.
In the next 10 years, Mary would love to see our company grow into a brand that ships products around the world from right here in Michigan. Her favorite Saffron & Salt products are all of the pickles, and she loves “medium-spicy” meals with a little kick. Her favorite family meal is the Kibbeh Nayeh recipe her grandmother passed down to her uncle. And she loves spending time with her husband, Harrison, their cat, Rio, and their dogs, Tilly and Ted.
Harrison Lonczynski | CTO & Product Development
Harry has big dreams for Saffron & Salt. First up? Become as well-known and common as Frank’s Red Hot, in people’s hearts and in their refrigerators. He’s in charge of keeping our tech operations running smoothly, and he loves joining the rest of the team to develop new products. In the future, he would love us to create branded side dishes and refrigerated foods, like Saffron & Salt spicy cheeses. (And we agree.)
He loves spicy food, across the board. His favorite family dish is Ham & Broccoli Casserole and his favorite Saffron & Salt product is Firecracker Carrots. But Harry’s enthusiasm is boundless – he’s always dreaming of new products for us to create, and we expect his current favorite will quickly be replaced by whatever we cook up next. He lives with his wife Mary and their adorable cat, Rio, and their sweet dogs, Tilly and Ted.
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Royal Oak, Michigan | © 2018 Saffron & Salt | Designed by Danielle Kullmann