Orlando, Fla. — Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions, a leader in environmentally responsible commercial kitchen services, had a record-breaking year in 2024. The company reached a significant milestone by recycling over 1 billion pounds of used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel, underscoring its commitment to sustainability and innovation.
“Reaching the milestone of recycling a billion pounds is both a phenomenal achievement and a testament to our commitment to sustainability,” says John Michals, chief operating officer. “This is a moment to celebrate, but also to ask ourselves, ‘What’s next? When do we hit 2 billion? How can we push this success even further?’”
The recycling effort represents just part of Filta’s commitment to sustainability, as the company also helped clients avoid purchasing nearly 30 million boxes of oil through its micro filtration programs. Estimates suggest these efforts have saved Filta customers over $1 billion in costs while reducing their reliance on new oils and contributing to lower carbon emissions.
Despite headwinds from fluctuating commodity prices and broader market uncertainties, Filta achieved impressive growth by expanding its customer base and strengthening its franchise network. The brand added over a dozen new franchisees to its network and expanded its presence across dozens of territories. Enhanced support from Filta’s headquarters, including sharper operational, sales & marketing initiatives, empowered franchisees to grow their businesses.
“Strategic tweaks within our sales efforts have infused new energy into our franchise owners, which has created a surge of opportunities for them to win business,” says Michals. “Support center moves like the one that occurred in our sales department underscore our commitment to driving growth and empowering our franchise network to thrive.”
In 2024, Filta also celebrated the launch of its new FiltaClean service, which has already gained significant traction among franchisees. FiltaClean exemplifies the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation, offering clients enhanced cleaning services while opening additional revenue streams for franchise owners.
“FiltaClean is set to be a potential ‘game changer’ for our franchise owners,” says Michals. “With roughly half our network already leveraging this premier service, we’re excited to see the rest follow suit. Introducing a second, tier 1 service strengthens our franchisees’ market position, paving the way for substantial and potentially exponential growth through deeper customer engagement and enhanced operational efficiency.”
Filta also strengthened its position through franchise resales, which is always a point of great pride as existing franchise owners realize their business dreams while simultaneously enabling new owners to realize theirs. A major resale initiative included the $2 million sale of a Jacksonville franchise location. Resales like this demonstrate the strength of Filta’s business model and its appeal to buyers looking for scalable, turnkey operations.
“It’s incredibly exciting from a franchisor’s perspective to see individuals with the vision and capital to enter a market and drive rapid growth,” Michals adds. “Opportunities like this are more abundant than ever. For those with capital looking to invest, this is an ideal time to join a brand with both proven scalability and room to grow.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Filta plans to expand FiltaClean across its franchise network and introduce new initiatives in the fresh oil space. The company will also continue to refine its franchise development process, targeting high-caliber candidates who share its vision for growth and sustainability.
“As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, Filta is well positioned for continued success and growth, both in our franchise owned operations and franchise development,” says Michals. “With high-quality, in-demand services and a range of desirable territories still available — whether through resales or organic growth — we’re poised to capitalize on significant opportunities in the market.”
Since its inception in 1996, Filta has positioned itself as a pioneering leader of active fryer management and environmental kitchen sustainability across the food and hospitality industries. Brought to North America in 2002 as a franchise concept, Filta is part of United Kingdom-based Franchise Brands. For more information, visit www.gofilta.com and www.gofilta.com/franchise.
SOURCE: Filta