Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts, LLC

Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts is a family owned business that has its roots on the island of Kauai. Salty Wahine specializes in tropically infused seasonings and Hawaii grown cane sugar. Laura Cristobal created Salty Wahine in June of 2008 as a sole proprietorship. Laura had retired from Kauai “Budget Rent a Car” after 29 years as the lead customer service agent. In addition, Laura worked part time for her mother’s income tax and accounting business, CALM Inc. Laura gained a broad background in marketing, networking, tax law, and financial skills needed to build a strong business of her very own. Laura originally started Salty Wahine as a way to help pay for her son and daughter’s college education as a single mother. Laura comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs. Laura’s mother and grandmother’s contributions were instrumental in Laura’s success.

Salty Wahine’s Hawaiian sea salt business revolves around her mission statement of “Making Eating Healthy Fun”! Laura created Salty Wahine out of her passion for cooking and desire for promoting Kauai Made products. Laura learned the value of Hawaiian sea salts at a young age from her paternal Hawaiian grandmother. The Award winning Salty Wahine products fulfill the need to prepare meals with healthy premixed gourmet seasonings that enhance the dining experience. The various tropical infused flavors provide the right choice for any dish including beef, pork, seafood, poultry, and vegetables. Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts and Hawaii-grown sugar products are infused with tropical flavors creating the following trademarked items: Hawaiian Rub, Hot Lava, Passion Fruit Chili, Guava Garlic, Pineapple Poultry, Black Lava, Mango Java, Kiawe Smoke, Red Alaea, Li Hing Margarita Salt, Hawaii Turkey Brine, Corned Beef Seasoning, and pure Hawaiian Sea Salt. Our Hawaiian-grown Cane Sugar flavors are pineapple, lilikoi, coconut, ginger, and lychee. Salty Wahine product ingredients and labor combined are 84% Hawaiian origin. The Salty Wahine Ohana has been a positive influence in giving back to the community and has been instrumental in promoting the Kauai Made, Kauai Farm Bureau, and Kauai and Filipino Chamber of Commerce’s.

Salty Wahine provides volunteer, monetary, and product support to help fund raise for over 100 Hawaii schools, cultural events, youth sports leagues, community charities, churches, non-profit outreach charities, community functions such as Koloa Plantation Days, Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair, Zonta, Food bank, Kauai United Way, Kauai Veterans Center, Family & Child Services, Project Graduation, Farm Bureau, Kauai Grown, and Kauai Chamber of Commerce to name a few. Salty Wahine supported Senator Mazie Hirono’s “Hawaii on the Hill” showcasing manufacturing in Hawaii in July 2014, June 2015, and June 2016. Laura worked with the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and other Kauai Manufacturers to plan the logistical issues to transport our product, plan a cooking demonstration for the event, and reserve lodging and schedule transportation to Washington, DC to support this highly successful showcase event.

Laura Cristobal Andersland has used hard work and perseverance to increase gross sales over the last eight years. Laura started her business in 2008 with $800 cash. Salty Wahine in 2016 was recognized by Pacific Business News as one of the fastest 50 growing companies in Hawaii. Salty Wahine is projected to reach one million in gross sales in 2016. Laura started selling Salty Wahine products at her sister's business "Aunty Lilikoi" in Waimea and craft fairs on Kauai. In Salty Wahine's eight years of operation, products can be found at over 200 stores worldwide including Safeway, Foodland, ABC stores, Lamont’s, Whalers General Stores, Accents, hotels and restaurants throughout Hawaii, the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Salty Wahine provides custom-seasoning blends for chef’s worldwide and this list includes the Aulani Disney Resort and Spa. Laura promotes her products at Specialty Food Association Fancy Food Shows in New York and San Francisco. Salty Whine can be found at Aloha Festivals in Hawaii and Polynesian Festivals in California, Nevada, Arizona and Washington. Salty Wahine expanded sales to Japan after attending the Food Expo in Tokyo in March 2016. The Salty Wahine brand is expanding throughout the mainland and Japan with our two new distributors.

Salty Wahine has won the 2015, 2014 and 2013 1st Place Best of the Best Kauai Made Product, 2016 Pacific Business News Fastest Fifty Award, 2015, 2014 and 2013 Pacific Edge Best Hawaii Family Business Finalist, 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year for the Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce, 2012 Entrepreneur of the year for Kauai Aloha Spirit Award, 2012 SBA Exporter of the Year, and 2012 Kauai Economic Development Board Agricultural Business Plan Competition 1st Place Winner. Salty Wahine received a letter of recognition for her selection as a finalist for the 2014 Pacific Edge Best Family Business from Governor David Ige.

Salty Wahine has grown from a small part-time business to a nationally recognized family owned company. The Salty Wahine team has grown to nine employees. Laura has used her business experience to groom her children to expand the Salty Wahine brand worldwide. Laura’s children have graduated from college and are full-time employees taking on key responsibilities allowing Laura and her husband to travel to foods shows to market the business. Laura’s son, Sean, in his role as Operations Manager is in charge of human resources, product development, inventory management, and product manufacturing. In addition, Sean updates the online store website and the business database. Laura’s daughter-in-law, Jessika, works full-time as our creative lead providing innovative sales training, store design, shipping, and quality control. Jessika’s BA degree in the Fine Arts and lead roles in local theatre productions has provided a unique buzz to our social media campaigns. Laura’s daughter, Nicole the face in our Logo, is a graduate student at the University of Pittsburg and overviews Salty Wahine policies to sustain our Hawaiian values. Sean and Jessika have been instrumental in designing the new packaging and determining requirements to convert to an automated manufacturing process.