The Maldon Salt 50

Foodservice | Design | PR | Social & Digital

the task

Following the success of the inaugural Maldon Salt 50 in 2024, jellybean was tasked with growing the campaign and proving its worth beyond a one-off. Year two was all about continuing to deepen Maldon’s relationships with existing chef advocates, widening its reach across UK hospitality and, crucially, delivering commercial results that could be tracked directly back to the campaign.

the solution

We returned with the second edition of The Maldon Salt 50, once again celebrating the most influential Maldon Salt users across UK hospitality. We evolved the five categories to reflect the brand’s relevance across modern hospitality: The Alchemists for mixologists and cocktail innovators, The Breadwinners for pastry chefs and bakers, The Firestarters for pitmasters and outdoor cooking specialists, The Socialites for chef-influencers and food media personalities, and The Worldies for internationally renowned chefs.

Each of the 50 honourees received a curated gift box, including Maldon Salt tubs, a gift tin, a bottle of sparkling wine, an exclusive pin badge and their own copy of a beautifully produced commemorative magazine. The list launched through a coordinated press and social media campaign, giving ‘the 50’ a reason to celebrate their inclusion, not just promote a brand.

the results

Year two of The Maldon Salt 50 built on the momentum of the first, reaching further and generating even stronger advocacy from within the industry.

25,000,000 opportunities to see across earned and social channels, 451% more reach than the previous year
82% of honourees, 41 of 50, shared their inclusion organically on their own social channels
Direct messages from chefs asking how to be included in future editions, confirming The Maldon Salt 50 as an aspirational industry accolade
Shortlisted for Best Use of Advocacy or Influencer Marketing in the 2026 B2B Marketing Awards
A substantial sale uplift

The Maldon Salt 50 campaign from 2025 was one of our most successful campaigns to date. It leveraged an important USP for the business – our culinary endorsement and chef advocacy – but in an authentic, organic way which seemed to really resonate with those working in foodservice. We've received nothing but positive feedback from all of the chefs involved in the campaign and it has helped us to build on those key relationships, continuing our partnerships with many of the chefs listed across different campaigns. Off the back of the 2025 campaign, we've received direct messages from chefs asking how they can be included going forward, demonstrating that The Maldon Salt 50 is gaining traction as an aspirational accolade within the industry.

Jellybean