Vinegar donation helping flooded Townsville

The Stanthorpe company helping North Queenslanders recover

HELPING OUT: Ian Henderson and Josie Howard and (back) vinegar makers Michael Britten and Joerg Achenbach with just some of the bottles sent to Townsville. Picture: Liana Walker

THE year is 2011. Ian Henderson is in a house in Grantham hosing away the damage caused by flooding.

Water has filled the house to the height of an adult and left behind mud and mould in its destructive trail.

It's a similar picture to what residents of Townsville would be seeing right now as they grasp for any cleaning product they can get their hands on.

It helps that Mr Henderson owns Australia Vinegar and produces an industrial grade product which can clear out the mould.

After seeing the destruction first hand only eight years ago, it was a no-brainer for the organisation to send up 4000L of vinegar to Townsville to help clear up the mess.

National marketing manager Josie Howard said a convenience store owner in Townsville had contacted Australian Vinegar in need of more stock.

Together the organisations covered the freight and product costs to provide North Queenslanders with free industrial strength vinegar.

"It's 10 per cent acidity, it's about two and a half times at least what you would normally get," Ms Howard said.

"Even the cleaning vinegars I've noticed in Bunnings recently they're only four per cent acidity. This is industrial strength vinegar."

The company as philanthropic by nature, with Mr Henderson ingraining corporate responsibility into the company values.

"It just goes back to corporate responsibility," Mr Henderson said.

"That's what corporate Australia is required to do, to help where we can.

"We have a greater capacity to help as a company than we do as individuals."

Even if Mr Henderson hadn't seen the flood damage first hand he said he would have still helped out.

The vinegar was packaged into 192 20L bottles yesterday before being sent off to Townsville.

The vinegar will be available to Townsville residents from Fast & Ezy Golflinks Minimart from Friday, February 15. White vinegar will also be available to Townsville residents in 20L tubs at a special price.

Originally published as Vinegar donation helping flooded Townsville