Kozuba Distillery Stops Producing Vodka To Make Hand Sanitizer

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Kozuba & Sons, a St. Petersburg-based craft distillery at 1960 5th Ave. S., has halted production on its artisanal vodka to be able to quickly reallocate its resources to produce hand sanitizer for the community.

Kozuba & Sons will be following the World Health Organization hand sanitizer formulation recommendations.

“Shifting our full production line to hand sanitizer will allow us to remove all barriers for the production, rather than limiting the volume of hand sanitizer made from the production waste of other spirits,” said owner Matthias Kozuba. “That way, we can ensure a steady supply of hand sanitizer as long as our community needs it.”

Kozuba will donate a large portion of the bottles to first responders, medical facilities and community organizations—those organizations that are at the front line of the pandemic and struggling to obtain necessary supplies.

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The distillery is working through the logistics of distribution with public safety as top priority.

"We’re so fortunate to have a strong community at our back and have been deeply moved by the positivity and interest we’ve received," said Kozuba. "Our ingredients and components are in transit, and we’re moving as quickly as possible. The last thing we want to do is put anyone at risk, so we’re working through a plan to distribute our hand sanitizer in partnership with community leaders and local organizations so as many people as possible can benefit."

In addition to shifting production, Kozuba & Sons Distillery has halted all tours and tastings and closed its retail shop until further notice in accordance with social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The most current updates on hand sanitizer production and distillery operations are available on Kozuba social media channels.