In Marseille, there’s the Bonne Mère, the Stade Vélodrome, and Saladin’s “Spices of the World” shops. At the heart of this success is a store that blends charm and authenticity, located in the heart of Noailles, a historic neighborhood and the city’s heart and soul.
A true institution alongside the hardware store Empereur House or Père Blaise's Herbal Shop, Saladin is well known to all culinary professionals and amateur cooks. It must be said that Salah El Keurti, who has managed Saladin for years, is deeply passionate about his craft. An avid traveler, he is eager to discover new things and fascinated by the meeting of cultures.
It was only natural that’He has been working with LHG for decades. ; a shared history made up of passion, from’friendship and mutual trust.
Salah, the proud owner of Saladin, kindly agreed to step in front of the cameras for a spicy interview!
Tell us the story of Saladin
“I started working at my father’s family business. Back then, we were in the meat business.
Then, 35 years ago, my father bought a store in Noailles. The first Saladin store! The idea at the time was to diversify our product offerings, and that’s how we started selling spices.
“We’ve been working with LHG from the very beginning!”
Salah, owner of Saladin
I started working in the store when I was 16 to help my father, and eventually I bought out his shares and grew the family business in my own way. It’s a true family story.
A few years later, we opened a second store on the Canebière. And that’s not all: we’ve just opened a third store in the 10th arrondissement in Pont-de-Vivaux, still in the fine foods business… The story has only just begun!”
What are the secrets behind Saladin's longevity in Marseille?
“Passion. A passion for travel, first and foremost, because they were the ones who passed on this passion for spices to me. Throughout my life, I’ve discovered a thousand and one cultures through my travels: China, India, Sri Lanka, Africa… I noticed that the use of spices was central to many cultures, and that’s what inspired me to devote myself to them.”.
Today, I'm lucky enough to travel thanks to the spices by visiting various exporters to find unique products.
The second secret is the quality of our products. There’s a reason I travel so much: we’re careful about what we buy and make it a point of honor to ensure the quality of our products and the traceability of production chains with whom we work.
”The third secret is that we make everything in-house. Today, 80% of our blends are made in-house."
How many different types of spices do you usually carry in a store?
What's your best-seller today?
“Each store carries about 1,500 products and 700 to 800 varieties of spices: it’s a total mess—Alibaba’s cave! (laughs)”
This is the homemade ras el hanout made by Saladin! It’s our blend of 22 homemade spices, and it’s a huge hit.
What about you—do you have a favorite spice?
I love all spices! But it's true that I have a soft spot for cardamom, which is both mild and robust. It pairs particularly well with African dishes.
How would you describe your relationship with LHG?
We've been working together with Saladin and LHG for over 30 years. To me, there are two reasons why we've never parted ways.
The first is our relationship with LHG. We’ve always gotten along very well, and our relationship is easygoing. They’re a reliable company, and we’ve always been able to count on them.
“LHG is a very reliable wholesaler, and in 30 years, I’ve never had a single problem!”
Salah
Another thing we love about LHG is their a wide selection of organic spices and herbs and their mastery of sourcing and transformation of their products.
When I work with them, I know I can trust them to provide high-quality products, and that’s an invaluable reassurance in the spice and herbal industry!
What spices do you buy at LHG?
I mainly buy pepper; LHG has a very wide selection: whole peppercorns, Sichuan green pepper, wild pepper from Madagascar, Cambodian pepper, and the Penja pepper from Cameroon, among other things.
I also buy other kinds of spices, to add to our blends or when I'm looking for a specific product.
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With more than 600 items in the catalog, all carefully selected from among the finest products from around the world, LHG is the natural partner for spice shops and food industry professionals who share the same passion.
Would you like to submit a proposal as well? high-quality products made with respect for the earth and people ? Download our catalog:
