Jonathan Toker, Ph.D., founder of Toker Engineering LLC, developed the SaltStick products. Toker is an elite-level triathlete who hails from Canada and lives in Southern California. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute in 2001, worked in the biotech industry for 5 years, and raced in the professional ranks as a triathlete and runner for 5 years.
Original concept for a capsule dispenser developed in 2002 as part of professional triathlon racing needs.
Engineering of the SaltStick® dispenser took 4 years and the contributions of a San Diego machine shop, other professional triathlete testers, and hundreds of hours of effort.
The SaltStick® name came about suddenly one day and seemed so “right” that nothing else came close. The name is a registered trademark and a patent has been issued.
SaltStick® Caps were developed as a study of scientific literature on electrolyte loss in sweat, highly bioavailable ingredients, and field testing. SaltStick Caps has since become the accepted standard for electrolyte replacement capsules.
The first dispenser prototypes were shown at the Interbike industry trade show in Las Vegas in Sept. 2005 and used by top athletes at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii a few weeks later.
The first commercial sales were at the California Ironman 70.3 event in March, 2006. SaltStick® products are now sold in over 40 countries around the world
