In response to the coronavirus pandemic, companies find creative ways to give back locally: KOVAL Distillery in Chicago, IL, and C-Care in Linthicum Heights, MD, switched their production lines to much-needed disinfectants, while Julius Meinl North America in Miami Beach, FL, donated a Viennese coffee fix to first responders.
KOVAL Distillery in Chicago, Illinois
Robert Birnecker, born Austrian and CEO of KOVAL Distillery, the first craft distillery in Chicago since the prohibition era, has recognized early in the crisis that a demand for disinfectants exists, particularly among first responders. “We started with a small production and donated the disinfectants; the feedback was overwhelming, so we decided to completely switch production for the time being.” First, bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles had to be overcome – for example, distilleries are not allowed to produce disinfectants; once the permits were in, there was no turning back. It was still a challenge to adapt the workflow to a completely new product in such a short amount of time.
So far, over 2,000 gallons of disinfectant were produced out of 100% biological grain instead of spirits. Plans for investments for expansion have been paused for the time being; the company had planned a visitor’s center, a bar, a patio and a shop.
C-Care LLC in Linthicum Heights, Maryland
In mid-March, C-Care LLC switched production from high-end personal care items to disinfectants. “At that time, the global ramifications of the crisis were already visible,” explains CEO Cornelius Grupp. The subsidiary of CAG Holding began preparing for a worst case scenario (significant decline of demand)on one hand, but also began thinking about shifting production on the other. Since the company already had the necessary regulatory certificates in the United States, the step was not that big. In addition, C-Care wanted to actively contribute towards containing the virus and became a registered emergency supplier. Authorities can order products via a web portal, including the newly developed disinfectant brand ALLSAN.
Regular sales dropped by about 50%; Grupp hopes to be able to compensate parts of the losses through disinfectants. Meanwhile, new customers could also be acquired. While the state of Maryland wants to support C-Care, it cannot – due to bureaucratic hurdles – place larger orders itself. It is hard to understand why the state does not support those local companies that want to keep jobs, says Grupp. Needless to say, the safety of employees is a top priority. Wearing masks, taking temperature daily, a staggered production, as well as breaks and the isolation of teams are now part of everyday life.
Cornelius Grupp also switched to producing disinfectants (c) C-Care LLC.
Julius Meinl North America in Miami Beach, Florida
The Austrian coffee company Julius Meinl, founded in 1862, is a household name for Viennese coffeehouse culture in the Old World. Its Floriday-based American subsidiary shares this mission and delivers European-imported coffee and tea to the hospitality sector, mainly on the East Coast. In response to the current global health emergency, Julius Meinl North America generously donated 300 packages of coffee ground and 2,000 to-go-cups to support first responders in the City of Miami Beach on April 10, 2020.
Julius Meinl North America Managing Director Razvan Talpau (on the left) delivers coffee to the Miami Beach-City Hall, where it was transferred it to Miami Beach Police and Fire Department
