Wildwood Spirits Co Starts Producing Hand Sanitizer to Support Locals

Amidst Major Hand Sanitizer Shortage, Distiller Erik Liedholm Pivots His Business to Help Community and Local Businesses, Including King County Metro and Seattle Police Department

As Covid-19 continues to spread, Wildwood Spirits Co., maker of Washington State’s most awarded gin and vodka, is pausing its traditional business of making award-winning gin, vodka and bourbon to produce hand sanitizer. This business shift was initiated by Wildwood Spirits Co. owner and head distiller, Erik Liedholm, for the sole purpose of fulfilling a critical community need amidst massive local hand sanitizer shortages.

Last week, Liedholm began providing complimentary bottles of his Rensa hand sanitizer (which means Swedish for clean) to customers and anyone who made a donation to Big Table, a local organization serving restaurant/hospitality workers experiencing a crisis. The response has been overwhelming, and the distillery has given away hundreds of bottles. After being contacted by King County Metro and the Seattle Police Department, both of whom were experiencing hand sanitizer supply chain issues, Liedholm significantly ramped up production to meet the need. The first bottles of ORCA Guard, the separately bottled and branded hand sanitizer for King County Metro, were delivered Friday and will be used by employees who provide essential transit services and do not have access to hand washing facilities throughout the day. Bottles for the Seattle Police Department will follow shortly and production for both will continue indefinitely.

“As Covid-19 concerns continued to escalate, we faced the real challenge of potentially running out of hand sanitizer for our front-line employees – the bus drivers, water taxi crews, rail and streetcar operators and employees who are maintaining a public transportation lifeline to essential jobs including hospitals. By teaming up with Wildwood Spirits Co., we’re better able to protect the health of our employees and also the community by doing what we can to limit the spread of Covid-19.”

-King County Metro

Rensa hand sanitizer is all natural, made with 60 percent pure ethanol infused with lavender from Liedholm’s backyard garden in Ballard and Seville orange from Wildwood Spirits Co. Kur gin fraction, as well as a combination of CDC and WHO approved hand cleaner ingredients.

“Our distillery has the unique ability to produce this much-needed product and I am pleased to do it,” commented Liedholm. “I see this as one time in my life that I can do something to help, and I hope it also provides people in our community with a sense of comfort and normalcy.”

How to Get Rensa Hand Sanitizer

Wildwood Spirits Co. will provide one 2-ounce bottle of Rensa for every donation of $5 or more made at Wildwood Spirits Co. for Big Table Seattle, a local non-profit that supports hospitality workers in crisis. Additionally, one complimentary bottle of Rensa will be included with the purchase of every bottle of award-winning Wildwood Spirits Co. vodka, gin, grappa or bourbon purchased online or at the distillery.

About Wildwood Spirits Co. – Where Science Meets Art and Art Solves Thirst

Wildwood Spirits Co. employs a grain-to-glass philosophy, blending ‘farm to table’ and ‘vineyard to bottle’ to create distillates in a unique and distinctive ‘farm to distillery’ fashion.  Kur gin, Stark Vatten vodka, Ärande grappa and The Dark Door bourbon are inspired by a Chef and a Sommelier’s passion, combined with the pragmatism of science. Wildwood Spirits Co. uses Washington State produce and sources nearly all its ingredients from local farms.

Wildwood Spirits Co., named for the street in East Lansing, Michigan where Liedholm grew up, is a partnership between co-owners Liedholm and Chef John Howie, and is part of the John Howie Restaurant Group.  Wildwood Spirits Co. is located in Bothell at The Village at Beardslee Crossing, 19116 Beardslee Boulevard, Suite 102, adjacent to Beardslee Public House.  For more information and tasting room hours, please visit http://www.wildwoodspiritsco.com/.

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