Have you ever eaten a french fry or a piece of fried chicken at a restaurant and seen something strange on it? Or did it just not taste the same as it always does?
If so, it's probably because that restaurant was using old cooking oil.
That's where FiltaFry comes in to help.
Just east of Richmond, Kip and Christy Swanson of CKB Swanson Inc. started a FiltaFry franchise in 2006 to help restaurants reduce waste and to recycle their oil.
"I was searching for a unique business … this was quite unique," said Christy Swanson.
FiltaFry works in six simple steps: The employees arrive at the business. For CKB Swanson, this means Kip Swanson and maybe a part-time worker.
In the business's kitchen, the oil temperature is checked. Oil is then removed from the fryer through the FiltaFry micro-filtration machine. The fryer is then cleaned with a vacuum-based cleaning system. The filtered oil is then returned to the fryer.
Lastly, notes are left for the kitchen staff.
"FiltaFry's cooking oil filtration and fryer management program results in cleaner and longer-lasting oil, hygienically clean fryers, improved food quality, reduced risk of accidents and savings of time and money," reads a statement on the CKB Swanson Web site, www.ckbswanson.com.
Christy Swanson said that if a restaurant uses 10 boxes of oil in a week, the filtering and cleaning process they do can cut it down to five boxes a week.
"Our service costs pay for themselves," she said.
FiltaFry is a member of Virginia Green, the commonwealth's campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in Virginia's tourism industry.
FiltaFry's customers include hotels, restaurants, schools and hospitals.
"FiltaFry is committed to reducing its environmental impact where ever possible and encourages those it works with to join and do business with other Virginia Green participants," the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said in a news release.
FiltaFry uses some of the cooking oil to produce biofuel, using a machine called BioPro380. Christy Swanson said what they're doing is small, but it's something they'd like expand on.
"We're not in the business of selling fuel," she said.
In addition to FiltaFry, CKB Swanson offers FiltaCool, a process that helps regulate moisture in coolers or refrigerators.
Sorbite panels (sorbite is a natural mineral) are placed in the refrigerator. The panels absorb and desorb humidity, allowing for food to stay fresher longer.
A FiltaCool news releases says this process also reduces energy consumption, stabilizes temperatures and reduces waste.
With one van and one part-time worker, Christy Swanson said the company hopes to expand in the future to having three vans full of employees cleaning and recycling oil at restaurants in the Richmond area.
"We're excited," she said. "We enjoy being part of a group who cares about the environment."
ABOUT FILTAFRY
FiltaFry started in the United Kingdom in 1996. Its first U.S. franchise opened in 2002. There are more than 150 franchises in more than 40 states. National clients include Dunkin' Donuts, Applebee's and Holiday Inn. Last year FiltaFry was ranked 33rd in the Franchise Times' list of 55 fastest growing franchises that have started in the past five years.
w For more information about the local FiltaFry franchise, contact Kip Swanson at 804-557-3301 or visit www.ckbswanson.com. For more about the Virginia Green program, visit www.deq.virginia.gov/p2/virginiagreen.
w LAST TIME OUT: Richmond.com's efforts to go green.