STATESVILLE, N.C. (BUSINESS WIRE; March 27, 2020) — Harnessing the substantial production capabilities of one of the nation’s largest craft distillers, Southern Distilling Company announced Friday it has temporarily shifted its focus from alcoholic beverages to producing hand sanitizer in quantities aimed to address the current product shortage precipitated by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
The state-of-the-art distillery possesses the facility and warehousing capacity to manufacture significant quantities of hand sanitizer for distribution to first responders, health care facilities, essential businesses and other agencies in need of the product at this time, focusing first on the demand within its home state of North Carolina.
With the temporary closing of local restaurants and bars, including its own tasting room, the distillery’s manufacturing shift has also created new jobs for displaced service industry workers.
The initial manufacturing run consists of hand sanitizer refills in 32 oz. HDPE bottles. Containing 80% alcohol and manufactured to the approved World Health Organization (WHO) hand sanitizer formula, the product is priced at a standard pre-shortage rate of $14.99 per bottle for commercial use only (not for resale).
“We hope that our efforts and those of other distilleries across the country to be part of the solution to this hand sanitizer shortage will help meet the current needs of our local communities and beyond,” stated co-owner Pete Barger. “We are all in this fight together.”
