To support its community during COVID-19, Compass Distillers shifted operations to manufacture hand sanitizers. It transitioned the facility from distilling spirits to making disinfectants.
It was in effort to mitigate the shortage at a time when supply was nearly depleted in pharmacies and grocery stores. “Due to demand, we have been making hand sanitizers –– not a great fit for a distillery making alcohol from scratch, but here we are.” says Compass Distillers’ President Graham Collins.
Moreover, the distillers in the past few weeks completed an experimental distillation run. They used cheaper sugar as a ferment, which enabled the distillers to produce hand sanitizers at a much lower cost.
Cut down by over half from $11, the 120ml bottles are now sold for $5 each with a limit of three per person. More than 500 bottles were also donated to organizations in need such as Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank.
The distillery tweaks its in-house sales and offers a delivery service
At the same time, the distillery is still maintaining regular operations geared towards the new normal. “The pandemic has meant closing our bar and our Airbnb operation, so we have had to refocus on in-house and web-based sales,” says Collins.
Compass Distillers has tightened customer flow to best adhere to social-distancing rules and new normal conditions. “Our procedure is only one customer can come in at a time, and they stop at a freshly sanitized table,” he says. “They communicate their wishes to the staff on hand, who fill their orders as customers pay using the touchless terminal on the table.”
“After the first week, people seem to have adjusted well to this procedure. And for those who are reluctant to come in we have delivery available,” says Collins.
For the other side of new normal operations, the number of deliveries for Compass Distillers has gone up significantly. By focusing on improving its web store, including all offerings and improving its delivery capabilities, Compass distillers has been able to best serve stay-at-home customers.
“The pandemic is presenting us with a paradigm shift,” says Collins. “On the other side of this we will have a much different social dynamic for a while, and it will be a challenge to navigate it successfully.”
“What a bar will look like in November 2020 is dramatically different from 2019,” he says.
Compass Distillers is offering free shipping on orders over $60 through its online store. The website also provides a list of artisan cocktail recipes to recreate with favourite Compass spirits to be enjoyed from home.
“Since we can't open the bar, we can bring the bar to you by making cocktail kits,” says Collins. “We've introduced several and will also be having weekly releases in the future. All you need is glassware and ice.”
Who are Compass Distillers?
Nestled in Halifax’s historic North End, Compass Distillers prides itself for being a grain to glass distillery. It started with three individuals who enjoy making world-class spirits locally, and now they’re a team of 13 sharing a passion for distillery.
“We harvest local grain and unique wild plants to make award-winning, handcrafted spirits and bitters,” as mentioned on the website.
Compass Distillers’ spirits are milled, mashed and made on site from basic ingredients. “Each batch is crafted and distilled with the goal of creating an award-winning spirit,” states the Nova Scotia Distillery of 2018 award winner. “No short cuts are taken; no compromises are made. Each step is carefully monitored, and the results are telling.”
Contact Compass Distillers for your new normal needs from home.
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