october_conversation_dm
29.09.2008
11:37 Uhr
Page 42
IN CONVERSATION IM GESPRÄCH
KATJA AND HER TEAM HARVESTING SEA SALT IN THE SALINES OF ES TRENC. FRENCH "LOUSSES" RAKES ARE THE TOOLS FOR THIS WORK. KATJA UND IHR TEAM ERNTEN MEERSALZ-BLÜTEN IN DEN SALINEN VON ES TRENC. FRANZÖSISCHE "LOUSSE"-RECHEN SIND DAS PERFEKTE WERKZEUG DAFÜR
sunshine that attracted her, but the implementation of her spectacular business concept - which has made her almost a celebrity on the island. There´s a media hype surrounding her, which reached a peak in July 2008, when the renowned German weekly publication “Focus” featured Katja on its cover. “Focus” magazine reported on German employees and entrepreneurs who had
managed to realize many people´s dream: being economically successful in an expat paradise. Katja Wöhr is one of them. Her business is selling salt - not your average table salt, though, but “the salt of the sea´s blossoms”, better known as “Flor de Sal”. The idea is not exactly new. This kind of salt mining is an old tradition. In France and Spain, coast dwellers have harvested sea salt crusts from still lakes over generations for
MARC FOSH´S FAME IS MY KEY TO SUCCESS. THANKS TO HIS NAME, MY PRODUCT´S QUALITY IS REALLY RECOGNIZED ON THE GOURMET MARKET 42 www.abc-mallorca.com
gastronomy and domestic use. Once, Katja saw farmers in southern France skimming salt crusts with meditative movements. The idea was born. The Salines of Es Trenc near Campos were destined to become the first harvest fields. The man-made salt lakes in the nature reserve are not accessible to the public. “A lot of effort was necessary to convince local administration of my idea. In 2003 I obtained the licence to mine salt in the Salines”, Katja explains. Then things moved quickly. In the same year British Michelin-star-chef Marc Fosh (Read´s Hotel) joined the project by mixing the “Flor de Sal” with exquisite spices. Katja knows: “Marc´s fame is my key to success. Thanks to his name, my product´s quality is really recognized on the gourmet market.” Flavouring the salt was the new attraction. Katja´s ambition broke the locals´ ice. “Flor de Sal” was awarded the first prize in Calvià´s annual entrepreneuer contest (“Proyecto innovador”) in 2003. “If one is absolutely convinced of one's concept,