Delaware Senate’s Former Chief of Staff Trades His Career for a More ‘Seasonal’ Profession

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Dave Burris Henlopen Sea Salt
Image via Alejandro Alvarez, Philadelphia Inquirer.
Dave Burris, with handfuls of the salt he harvested from Delaware seawater.

Dave Burris left his job as chief of staff in the Delaware Senate and has turned his hobby of producing sea salt from Delaware seawater into a full-time job. Sarah Maiellano sifted through the details of his career swap for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Burris started his salt-making company, Henlopen Sea Salt, amidst the pandemic. His timing gave him a distinct market advantage: He found himself as the only producer of sea salt within at least 150 miles of Philadelphia.

Burris learned his trade from YouTube videos and other online tutorials. He started using his hand-harvested salt as a go-to holiday present for family and friends. In 2020, he then noticed that other hobbyists started opening online stores after pandemic-related closures.

So, he decided to follow suit.

The salt was an instant hit.

“The first batch sold out in two hours, the second batch in an hour, and the third in 15 minutes,” said Burris.

The reason is that he believes his salt is “the ultimate flavor enhancer.”

Now, with business booming, a wholesale operation may soon be on the horizon.

Read more about Henlopen Sea Salt in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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