Wicklow Way Wines turns attention to creating hand sanitiser
WICKLOW Way Wines have turned their attention to producing hand sanitiser in an effort to support the community during the fight against Covid-19.
Husband and wife duo, Brett and Pam Stephenson, run a small working winery in Newtownmountkennedy, making wines from Irish strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. However, their main focus ever since the outbreak of coronavirus has been on making hand sanitiser.
The hand sanitiser is 70 per cent alcohol and comes in a 250ml container.
Brett said: ‘We started to figure out where to source the ingredients around two months ago. We have gone through all the legal hoops. There are other hand sanitiser products out there which work but aren’t necessarily strictly legal. We have been getting a great response. Builders look like they will soon be allowed to work again and they need the hand sanitiser for their crews. The ingredients are expensive. Usually myself and my sons are down in the winery making product. Obviously we are closed for the moment for wine tours and tastings. Making the hand sanitiser means we can help people out while also keeping the business afloat.’
The Wicklow Way Wines hand sanitiser has been licensed by the Irish Department of Agriculture and Food. The hand sanitiser is stocked by 123.ink.ie and Avoca, while you can also order from www.wicklowwaywines.ie/shop.
Wicklow Way Wines intend to continue producing the hand sanitiser once the Covid-19 pandemic has passed.
‘It’s hard to know what the demand will be but we will continue to make the products. We always try to support homegrown products and producers and we would be hopeful that the public would support our own homegrown product rather than bigger brands like Palmolive.’