Trap grease — the fats, oils, and grease captured by restaurant and commercial kitchen grease traps — is a distinct waste stream from bulk used cooking oil, requiring its own collection routes, interceptor-cleaning services, and processing infrastructure before it can be rendered into recyclable feedstock. The acquisition folds a significant share of that infrastructure, previously run by rendering giant Darling Ingredients, into WRM’s platform.
WRM operates in non-hazardous liquid waste collection, transportation, processing, and recycling through three regional brands: Southwaste Disposal, McDonald Farms Enterprises, and Silver City Processing. The company employs more than 300 people. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
CEO Ryan Wurgler described the transaction as a “strong strategic fit,” saying it creates opportunities for both organic and inorganic growth while strengthening vertical integration across WRM’s collection-to-processing chain — allowing the company to manage more of the trap grease stream in-house rather than relying on third-party processors.
The deal is the latest in a wave of consolidation among grease trap and yellow grease operators in the U.S., following similar acquisitions by companies such as Liquid Environmental Solutions. Consolidation in this segment tends to track closely with rendering and biofuel feedstock demand, as larger operators gain the collection density needed to supply processors at scale.
Sources: WRM Acquires a Majority of Darling Ingredients’ Trap Grease Business (WRM); PR Newswire
