Alcohol firms join hands in crisis

Two Taranaki alcohol companies have joined forces to provide essential businesses with hand sanitiser.

Janet Charteris, of LWF Distilling, in Oakura, was already adapting to the new reality of the coronavirus and using the excess alcohol from producing rum to make hand sanitiser.

The Ministry of Health says basic hygiene, such as washing hands regularly and using hand sanitiser, is the most important way to stop the spread of infections including Covid-19.

But when large-scale businesses classed as ‘essential’ in the level 4 lockdown began contacting her in order to get their hands on some, Charteris knew she had to change her approach to production.

She needed a bigger fermenter to produce the alcohol needed and has now teamed up with New Plymouth brewery Shining Peak, which has a much larger facility.

Together they hope to have their first batch ready to go next week.

Although production will remain small they hope that, combined, they can support local essential businesses in the short term.

‘‘We still highly recommend they source from their existing suppliers; they are the best situated to meet this demand,’’ Charteris said.

‘‘But we’re confident that following the World Health Organisation recipe strictly we can provide a bridge until normal supply can continue.’’

LWF Distilling has stopped selling non-essential hand sanitiser until further notice.

Charteris said everyone in lockdown will have access to soap and water, which is a more effective defence anyway.

‘‘We need to protect our services who are out their helping and don’t have access to soap and water while doing their jobs for us.’’

Fonterra has announced it has joined the effort to boost New Zealand’s hand sanitiser stocks as demand skyrockets due to coronavirus.

The dairy giant is making

250,000 litres of ethanol available to companies making the soughtafter product, which has been selling for as much as $150 a litre.

It is also increasing ethanol production at one of its plants with plans to make an extra

220,000 litres for use in hand sanitiser .