'Best office in the world': Unique business located in N.B. tourism corridor

If you take a drive down Route 114 in southeast New Brunswick, one of the most scenic drives in the province, you'll find a unique business owned by a husband and wife team.

Lorena DePrato-Najnar and her husband Paul Najnar are the owners of Fundy Coast Sea Soap and Sea Salt which is located in a tourism corridor between Riverside-Albert and Alma.

This is their fourth full season of operation on a beautiful 35-acre property.

"I have the best office in the world," said Paul.

Paul harvests water from the pebble beach at nearby Cape Enrage and then makes the sea salt through solar evaporation in a greenhouse.

He said it's a pretty simple process.

"It's not rocket science. This is a two thousand-year-old, or multiple thousand-year method. Basically, all I've done is just adapt it to our climate here," said Paul.

Lorena then makes handcrafted sea soap, artisan sea salt and a variety of other products including chocolate.

Products are pictured on a table at Fundy Coast Sea Soap and Sea Salt. (Derek Haggett/CTV Atlantic)

It took her a few tries before she was able to master the craft.

"Good old fashioned trial and error," said Lorena. "I can't tell you how many batches I messed up."

Originally from Ontario, the couple moved to the region from Saskatchewan in 2017.

They were inspired by a vacation they took through the Maritimes.

"Coming here and actually seeing the trees in New Brunswick and feeling the energy of the province here, I just fell in love with it. Specifically Alma. I fell in love with Alma," said Lorena.

A month or two after they returned home, a chance came up to buy the property they now own.

They wanted a new adventure and it was a chance they knew they had to take.

"We literally bought it sight unseen," said Lorena.

On Sunday, Glen Brown from Alberta popped in with his wife and her sister who suggested they go during their vacation.

"She said, 'You've got to stop in here,' so we stopped and I met with the owner and he took us down and explained the process and It's fascinating what you can do with salt water," said Glen.

It was always intended to be a business based around tourism and living in a beautiful rural area just makes the work more enjoyable.

"When I go to Cape Enrage, I go three times a week to get water, I'm usually the only one there. I get my water and I just sit and I watch the world go by," said Paul.

For Lorena, the best thing is the space and the people.

"You come home. You come up over the hill past Hopewell Rocks. You come around the bend. It just changes the vibe. You see the Bay of Fundy as you're coming down the 114. It just changes the dynamic of the day," said Lorena.

Fundy Coast Sea Soap and Sea Salt is located on Route 114 in southeast New Brunswick and is open seven days a week. (Derek Haggett/CTV Atlantic)

Fundy Coast Sea Soap and Sea Salt is located at 6200, Route 114, and is open seven days a week.

Fundy Coast Sea Soap and Sea Salt sells handcrafted sea soap, artisan sea salt and a variety of other products including chocolate. (Derek Haggett/CTV Atlantic)

Their products are also available all around southern New Brunswick.

"The tourists seem to love it. The culinary market seems to love it," said Paul. "The 114 highway here is one of the busiest tourist routes in all of New Brunswick. We have thousands and thousands of cars going by on a yearly basis and if you see us, where we are, you can't miss us."

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