Alcohol companies switch to hand sanitiser production to combat Covid-19

Wine, beer and spirits companies, across several countries, have announced shifts in production to hand sanitiser, as they seek to meet the urgent need for the product amid the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Among the companies mobilising to curb national and retail shortages of sanitiser are Bacardi, Pernod Ricard USA, Amber Beverage Group (ABG), BrewDog and Corby Spirit and Wine Limited.

Bacardi has partnered with Puerto Rico-based Olein Refinery to provide raw materials that will reportedly enable the production of more than 1.7 million units of 10oz sanitiser.

The ethanol needed to make the 70% alcohol sanitisers is being produced at the Bacardi Corporation distillery in Cataño, Puerto Rico, where more than 80% of the company’s rums are produced.

Two days ago, BrewDog introduced its new Brewgel Punk Sanitiser with the announcement that it had started working on making the product at its distillery in Scotland, while ABG has today said that its Latvijas Balzams factory in Latvia will begin sanitiser production this week.

Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard USA and Canada-based Corby Spirit and Wine Limited have both announced that they are working in coordination with their respective governments to address national shortages.

Hand sanitiser will be produced at all of Pernod Ricard USA’s manufacturing sites and distilleries, and the brand has credited federal officials with helping it to navigate regulatory hurdles and obtain the necessary approvals to make the shift.

Ann Mukherjee, chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America, said: “Our company is proud to support the efforts of the administration and communities across the country in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In times like this it is important that everyone, especially companies with strong US roots, like ours, prioritise good corporate citizenship and step up in the name of the greater good.

“I am glad that we were able to form this public/private partnership and repurpose our spirits production facilities to meet a pressing, national need.”

Several companies are donating all or a portion of the sanitiser they produce to needy individuals and agencies within their communities.

Other products, including ABG’s Virudes sanitiser, will be made available for purchase by major retail chains and institutions suffering from depleted supplies.