Dive Brief:
- Baker Commodities Inc., a company that recycles animal by-products and cooking oil, just inked a deal to that leaves it with a controlling interest in New Leaf Biofuel, a recycling and rendering business.
- New Leaf Biofuel, based in San Diego, CA, converts cooking oil into ultra-low carbon biodiesel used for commercial and municipal fleets across the state of California.
- The acquisition will give Baker Commodities the opportunity to expand into other markets, vertically integrate with its rendering operations, and introduce value-added offerings to the wastes it processes.
Dive Insight:
The privately-owned Baker Commodities is based in Vernon, CA , and was founded in 1937. The company transforms the animal fat and cooking oils into a range of products, including feedstock for animals, protein meal for livestock, and tallow which is used in soaps.
The food service industry is motivated to recycle used cooking oils. In September, the National Restaurant Association announced that 74% of surveyed restaurants participated in the recycling of fryer oil, fat, and grease.
