Marches Bottling and Packaging, which is run alongside the family’s cider production business, Celtic Marches Beverages, will use new finance to help fund the production of its new hand sanitiser – Two Cousins.
Seeing the demand for hand sanitiser, Marches Bottling and Packaging started producing to the World Health Organisation’s recipe. With the help of Susan Vaughan’s cousin, Kate Turner, at Penrhos Gin, providing the alcohol, the two cousins were able to create a trusted product. Two Cousins Hand Sanitiser is available in 1L bottles, ideal for refills and retails at £15 per bottle. Both were keen to launch the sanitiser at a fair price to locals in the first instance after witnessing the exorbitant prices elsewhere
As a licensed manufacturer of alcohol, the company is authorised by the government to produce hand sanitiser. Marches is currently responding to new orders from local surgeries and care homes to help protect their staff at work, as well as offering the product to the general public through local grocery stores. The company has also received a substantial order from Herefordshire Council for the first run of its new product.
Sue Vaughan, Director of Marches Bottling and Packaging, said:
“Our business has been built with the ability to react and adapt quickly, and we’re delighted to be able to support the UK’s fight against coronavirus by supplying frontline workers and members of the public with our own Two Cousins hand sanitiser. We’ve had a lot of help to get this off the ground and we’d like to thank HSBC UK for being supportive throughout the entire process.”
Lucy Allcoat, HSBC UK Commercial Manager South West Midlands, added:
“HSBC UK is committed to supporting its customers during these unprecedented times. We were pleased to be able to approve the facility for Marches Bottling and Packaging, which will enable them to produce hand sanitiser and help protect important frontline staff.”
The company has been working with The Department for International Trade (DIT) for 9 years successfully exporting their cider across the world. Sue said that diversifying to make the hand sanitizer has helped to keep them afloat during the crisis, with their on-trade sales coming to an end with the closure of pubs, their off-trade has increased and their bottling plant is a full tilt. Following a recent conversation with the Chamber’s DIT team, a case study of their new product was sent to DIT London HQ. Minister Graham Stuart (Minister of Trade) read the case study and asked to speak to Sue directly, and will be contacting her this week.
This is now available for UK mainland delivery. It contains 70% alcohol and contains aloe vera. No oils, colourants or fragrances have been added. To find out more please contact sales@marchesbp.com.