Even in a pandemic you can have a fresh start

Author Caitlin Banks & Peter Rychlik

In the midst of a pandemic, we face the challenge of getting a fresh start and doing anything out of the normal. many people stayed inside, watched tv and became lazy, while others rose to the occasion. Peter Richlik and Caitlin Banks did just that and this is how YEG sanitizer was created. When the pandemic started, hand sanitizer became impossible to find. They wanted to help the community and they knew what needed to be done. The following days would be filled with research on how to make it and see if they could get the right ingredients. Peter was adamant about using isopropyl alcohol instead of ethanol as its main purpose was for sanitization and overall a better alcohol for this purpose. It was a very expensive start as ingredients were high in demand, almost impossible to source and costs of alcohol were doubling overnight. They put their heads together and started with $500, but when they were selling out faster than they could keep in stock they knew they were the first local company in Edmonton to start making sanitizer.

Creating a company from scratch wasn’t easy, but with Peter’s graphic design skills and Caitlin’s attention to detail, they were ready to face the challenge. After doing many online orders and delivering to several locations all around Edmonton, they wanted to find a more efficient way of getting effective and affordable hand sanitizer in the hands of all Edmontonians. Peter called up Safeway to see if they could sit outside and sell the sanitizer at a table in front of the store, but the restrictions of covid would not allow them to. Hope was almost lost until the manager of Safeway Inglewood would say “since you can’t set up a table how would you like your product in the store.” That’s right, you can find YEG sanitizer on the shelves of several Safeway and Sobeys locations in and around the Edmonton area. At this time business was booming and Caitlin and Peter were so thrilled for this amazing opportunity. Thanks to Caitlin’s grandma for loaning the start up money they were able to create an amazing business. YEG sanitizer is very different from all the other local sanitizers you see around the city for many reasons. The first reason is because Caitlin and Peter also do custom branded sanitizer to help promote events and businesses during these tough times. They both got this idea when stores became flooded with sanitizer and production dropped to nothing. They knew they had to create a niche in this now very competitive market, so Peter got the idea to put his graphic designs skills to the test even further. You can now find custom product hand sanitizer in the Medicine Shoppe pharmacies, Quality Inn Hotels, the Nina Haggerty Foundation and more. Another way this company is unique is because they donate 10% of the profits to disease control research. Peter and Caitlin’s goal was to always help the community in any way they could, what better way than donating to an organization that could ultimately end the pandemic. The third reason that YEG sanitizer is different is because they use very minimal ingredients, and it will not make your hands dry or sticky. The sanitizer is made with 99% isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide and water. Each ingredient plays a very important role. The isopropyl disinfects while the glycerin prevents dry skin. Then the hydrogen peroxide breaks down the glycerin, so your hands aren’t sticky. Finally, the water dilutes the alcohol to the CDC recommended levels of 75%. The last way they are different is that they are also the cheapest on the market and wherever they can they support Canadian suppliers for their ingredients. Getting a fresh start isn’t always easy, but with determination and drive you will get there. Also, remember Caitlin very easily could have been upset when a Walmart employee told her she was stupid for looking for sanitizer and then given up. Instead, she said she would learn to make it herself with her boyfriend. Sometimes getting a fresh start must come from a negative experience and turning it into a positive one.