More salt, no sugar

I spent years in tech as a product manager, always building things that belonged to someone else and never holding a finished product in my hands. Before Saltivate I ran a Covid-era business delivering fresh vegetables, which taught me to pick a product that keeps and to keep the logistics simple. This time around I also wanted something I'd actually use, every day.

Electrolytes fit. I sweat heavily when I train, and after a long workout I sometimes step off the scale two pounds lighter, nearly all of it sweat. Replacing those losses changed how I recovered, but a daily stick-pack habit added up fast, and every brand I tried tasted over-flavored to me. So I bought a kitchen scale and started blending my own mix: heavy on sodium, lightly sweet, and about half of what I'd been paying. I later turned that spreadsheet into a free DIY electrolyte calculator so anyone can mix a batch at home. Home mixing has real limits, though. One sloppy measurement throws off the whole batch, the routine wears thin, and suppliers won't sell an individual the sweeteners and flavors they offer brands.

The numbers haven't moved since those first kitchen batches: 800mg of sodium in every serving, plus potassium and magnesium, with zero sugar. I set the sodium at 800mg because it pushes high without wrecking the taste. The ingredient list is what changed. My first version felt too ordinary, so I rebuilt the formula until I could stand behind every line on the label, and Reb M from fermented rice became the sweetener, natural and stevia-free. I don't do any of this alone; specialists check my work, and every lot gets tested.

Getting it manufactured was the hardest part. The good contract manufacturers can afford to be picky, and a small first order from an unknown founder is an easy no for them. Winning one over took months, and about a year passed between the first idea and the first sale. We launched with the jar because it's the most affordable way to buy Saltivate; stick packs followed for sampling and for grab-and-go servings.

Handing out samples taught me how much context shapes feedback. The same flavor got called too sweet at a CrossFit gym and just right at an office desk. Eventually I stopped chasing the average opinion and trusted my own palate.

I built Saltivate for people who sweat the way I do. Since launch I've heard from many others who run low on electrolytes, including customers whose doctors want them getting more sodium. Through all of it, the formula has stayed narrow. There's no vitamin pile-on; an ingredient either earns its spot or it's out. The same discipline applies to the business, so I choose carefully and say no to most ideas.