A cost-effective process for loading particulate pigment into a polymer concentrate includes adding a basic pH aqueous solution having a water soluble organic salt to a milled particulate pigment to form an organic-coated particulate pigment. The pH of the basic aqueous solution is sufficiently basic that the water soluble organic salt remains in a salt form. Without a prior micronization step, the organic-coated particulate pigment is mixed with a polymer resin to form a polymer concentrate having from about 50% to about 87% by weight particulate pigment with dispersibility comparable to micronized organic-coated particulate pigment.