Mar 20, 2020
Potato vodka maker shifts production to hand sanitizer

With bottles of hand sanitizer flying off retail shelves amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, distilleries are using their spirits to aid the supply.

One is Lansing, Michigan-based Michigrain, which utilizes excess potato starch from Better Made Snackfoods, to make its potato vodka, reported the Michigan Industry Potato Commission (MPIC).

Once Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered state bars and restaurants to only be able to serve takeout orders, Michigrain co-owner and Master Distiller Mike Bird considered temporarily shutting down operations. Instead, he opted to turn production into hand sanitizer using the alcohol on hand. Current production capabilities are about 500 gallons, or 40,000 bottles, per week.

Michigrain has been selling 4-ounce bottles of sanitizer at its Lansing location for $4 per bottle.

“We made the decision (March 12) to flip the switch to creating the sanitizer and sold about 10-20 bottles those first few days. However, this week people are buying buckets worth,” Bird told MPIC. “It’s absolutely amazing.”

Michigrain also uses sweet corn from a nearby co-op to make corn vodka.

CNN recently reported on other distilleries around the U.S. also producing hand sanitizer.






75 Applewood Dr. Ste. A
P.O. Box 128
Sparta, MI 49345

616.520.2137

Get one year of Spudman in both print and digital editions for FREE. Preview our digital edition »

Interested in reading the print edition of Spudman?

Subscribe Today »


website development by deyo designs