A Livingston-based business is the latest Scottish alcohol company to halt the production of its usual range in order to make hand sanitiser.
Matugga Distillers usually makes artisan rums but is now creating the sanitiser as the demand from frontline workers and local healthcare providers increases.
Husband and wife team Jacine and Paul Rutasikwa have produced their first batch of hand sanitiser in line with the recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) formulation and process, with an extra added ingredient of the ‘heads’ from their rum production.
The couple will now go on to donate 1000 litres over the next few weeks after the launch of a successful Crowdfunder campaign, which has received over £3000 of pledges.
Local surgeries, support groups, the Royal Bank of Scotland Food Bank Donation Centre at Gogarburn, and the West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, are just some of the beneficiaries set to receive the critical supply.
Jacine and Paul’s six-year-old daughter Mahya has also been involved and has designed the rainbow-bearing packaging for the
five-litre containers.
Matugga Distillers co-founder Jacine said: “Finding a novel way to tweak our production line to support our NHS heroes on the front line is the least we can do in such uncertain times.
“We have been overwhelmed at the response to our Crowdfunder campaign and are incredibly grateful for the generous support which will enable us to help the community’s most vulnerable.
“It has been humbling to see distillers of all sizes from across Scotland come together in a bid to use their facilities and agility to help people fight coronavirus.
“We ask for people not to come to the distillery to collect the hand sanitiser because of social distancing reasons, but we will organise delivery to as many people as we can.”
