SaltWorks said it posted record sales in 2012, with gourmet salt sales up more than 40%. SaltWorks CEO Mark Zoske says gourmet food manufacturers are realizing a big flavor difference between refined salt and unrefined sea salt. “We are seeing explosive growth in our sea salt ingredient business,” he says. “For true taste improvement, companies across the industry are using SaltWorks’ higher-quality gourmet sea salts. SaltWorks has found there is a true difference between manufacturers that want to use the term ‘sea salt’ for marketing only, and those that want to use the best tasting, highest quality natural sea salt they can buy to quantifiably enhance their products.” SaltWorks sells more than 30 million pounds of sea salt per year and stocks more than four million pounds in its state-of-the-art gourmet salt factory in Woodinville, Wash.

—SaltWorks Inc., www.seasalt.com