Canada Candle Supply, a home-based company in Hatley Township, has modified its bottling line to produce a disinfectant spray and is looking for local partners to get the product into and onto the hands of the people in the community who need it most. “It was one of our products, but there was never a real demand for it,” explained Andrew Wanka, who owns the company with his wife Robyn Toohey. The company, which started four years ago, sells natural products for the candle industry including wax and jars, as well as essential oils. Wanka explained that he already had the bottles and spray tops on hand. With the current demand for hand sanitizers so high, he decided to purchase a barrel of isopropanol. He then got a recipe for a high efficiency hand sanitizer certified by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, and modified his bottling line to make the product. The spray is a blend of isopropanol and tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus and lemon essential oils. “This stuff will kill anything,” commented Wanka. The line can produce 160 bottles of 100ml each per run, Wanka said.
So far, he has made 1,000 bottles, half of which are already spoken for by American clients. “I have access to that market, but I want to help our local community first,” Wanka said. “My big dilemma right now is there are places around here that might need this stuff. I want to try as much as possible to keep it local.”
Wanka said he and his wife aren’t great with publicity on social media. They started the company mainly as a hobby four years ago, and through word of mouth alone the business has grown ever since.
Wanka said he tried to reach out to local municipalities, but has had no real feedback so far. “Presently all sales of this item are being made to the USA and I need help aligning our company with local stores, hospitals, retirement homes etc…” “I have enough stuff to make at least 10,000 more bottles,” he said. After that, the company will run out of spray tops. Wanka has been in touch with suppliers for more tops, but received a “we’ll get back to you” response, suggesting suppliers are likely slammed with orders at the moment. Wanka is hoping to find a local partner to continue production when he runs out of bottles and tops. “I need to get it to the public,” Wanka said, stressing the new product is not a money grab. “It costs around $4.70 to bottle. I’m selling it for $5,”he said.
“I want to get it to the people who need it at a reasonable price. A lot of people in the area have helped us,” Wanka said, looking to return the favour.
Anyone interested in purchasing the disinfectant spray can contact the company by calling 514-502-3133 or emailing robyn@canadacandlesupply.com. Wanka said arrangements can be made for e-transfers for payment and contact free exchanges to maintain social distancing protocols.
Published in the Tuesday, March 24 edition of The Record.
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