Can you take us back to the beginning, what sparked SALTA?

SALTA came from watching Callum's world as a professional FMX athlete up close, the demands his body goes through, and how little thought most hydration products give to actually, supporting that. At the same time, I work in a completely different world for the Queensland Government. Those two lives collided into wanting to create something that felt considered, not just functional 

What did you feel was missing in the hydration category?

It wasn't so much about something missing, more about something we could add. L-Theanine became the starting point for that thinking, an ingredient included to support a calm, focused mind, that wasn't yet part of the hydration conversation. That felt like the real opportunity: not fixing a gap but adding something meaningful to a category people already engage with daily.

What did you want SALTA to represent beyond the product itself?

Beyond the formulation, SALTA is about intentionality bringing a bit more thought and care into a daily habit most people do on autopilot. It was important that the brand felt aspirational without being unapproachable, and intentional without losing warmth.

How did you approach building SALTA's brand world and visual language?

The identity was built around a sense of movement and clarity - clean lines, a considered colour story, and a name that felt strong and simple to say. Working with collaborators like Ruban Studio on physical products like the SALTA water bottles, shakers and custom mailer bags meant the brand identity had to translate beyond just packaging into something people would want to actually hold and use daily.

How important was design in shaping the brand experience?

Design was never an afterthought; it was core to the brand from day one. We wanted SALTA to be functional from the outside in. Packaging that's simple and considered rather than loud, so the focus stays on what's actually in the tub. Every touchpoint, from the tub in someone's cupboard to the bottle they carry, was meant to feel like a considered object rather than just packaging around a product.

What have been the biggest challenges and learnings so far?

Building a TGA Listed product means every step from formulation, labelling, manufacturing, marketing carries a level of regulatory rigour that most consumer brands aren't required to navigate. Balancing that compliance requirement with maintaining a strong creative and aesthetic identity has been one of the most interesting challenges of the whole process.

How do you balance creative vision with the practical realities of launching?

It's a constant negotiation. Some of the best brand decisions have come from constraints, regulatory requirements, manufacturing timelines, budget - forcing more creative, considered solutions rather than the obvious ones.

What shifts in the hydration category inspired SALTA?

People are becoming a lot more intentional about what goes into their everyday routines -not just what's effective, but what aligns with how they want to feel about the products they use. That shift toward considered, everyday wellness rather than purely performance-driven roducts felt like the right moment for something like SALTA to exist.

What decision or moment has been most influential in shaping SALTA?

Committing early to TGA Listing rather than launching as an unregulated supplement was a defining decision - it meant a longer, more rigorous road to launch, but it gave the brand a foundation of credibility that shapes every other decision since.

As SALTA prepares to launch, what are you most excited about?

We’re excited for people to actually have the product and feel that it was made with intention - from the formulation through to the physical design. I hope people experience SALTA as something that quietly elevates a daily habit, rather than just another supplement on the shelf.