At least 40,000 500ml bottles will be donated to healthcare workers.
Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) will donate at least 20,000 litres of hand sanitiser to frontline medical staff as they fight COVID-19 in emergency wards around the country.
The project has been launched to help doctors and nurses while hand sanitiser is in short supply.
At least 40,000 500ml bottles are being produced for healthcare workers in partnership with hygiene company Ecolab.
CUB CEO Peter Filipovic says as the nation's biggest brewer, CUB has a part to play in battling the crisis.
"Helping the people who are directly fighting the effects of this virus is a good start," Filipovic says.
“We have the relationships and the know-how to get a project like this up and running quickly.
“For more than 150 years we’ve helped Australians come together over a beer. Now it’s time to lend a helping hand as they stay apart to fight the virus. We’ll have more announcements soon about how we’re helping pubs and other customers get through this.”
All CUB’s hand sanitiser will be donated.
It will also be offered to vulnerable people in the community via support agencies, bottle shops, pubs, clubs and suppliers.
All CUB employees will get some to help keep them and their families safe. This will account for another 10,000 litres, bringing total production to 30,000 litres.
Ecolab will make the sanitiser using additional ethanol secured with support from CUB, ensuring thousands of litres of sanitiser gets to where it’s needed most.
“We are very happy to be partnering with CUB and ensuring hand sanitiser gets to those who need it most," Ecolab AU, NZ, Pacific managing director Jan Pacas says.
“This partnership has provided a big boost to our hand sanitiser production in a time when it’s been crucially needed – especially for our healthcare providers who are on the frontline.”
The first bottles are expected to start leaving Ecolab’s facilities next week.
