I just took a reataurant from the local renderer here and as an attempt to retain him as a customer they offered him $25/barrell. Thats about 50 cents a gallon. Anyone else running in to this?

One of my sources has been offered $1.00
per gallon but is staying loyal to me.

One of my friends had a long time very good VO source taken away by a renderer offering .50 per gallon.

Last time I went around asking restaurants, I offered 20 cents a gal, and that perked up ears but no takers yet.

Here in my area (S. Oregon) the restaurants are selling at $1 per gallon, and the BD producers have ads all over Craigslist for buying more. I have one restaurant that is giving me free oil, so I work hard to keep them happy and loyal.

Dan

Pay the price knucklehead before you loose the account. Your still ahead of the game.

Remember how much fuel costs, stop whining and pull out some cash, your still a winner.

Markets change daily, stay informed or shut up and pay.

Cheapskates always loose, cuz they are cheap.

No, I'm not cheap. I bought out one restaurant before discovering that they are using hydrogenated oil, so we parted ways nicely and I left them with their normal pickup company. No harm, no foul.

But I want to prove a point; that fuel can be made from garbage. While in my area it's becoming more of a commodity than garbage, it is still a waste product in many regions, so the statement is still valid. I'm the director of an environmental non-profit (Creation Speaks) and the veggie car is part of our larger effort and statement within our community.

My supplier likes what we are doing and is committed to helping us out. Even then, if it came down to economics and they felt the need to sell their oil, I would pay for it gladly. We also have a smaller restaurant that gives us about a gallon a week, and they seem to be behind our philosophy as much as the other folks, so I try to keep a good relationship there as well and I think we'll be fine.

So no, I'm not cheap and I'm not whining.

Dan

Actually, I do whine some. Okay, so I whine quite a bit, but it's not about the price. It's about the fact that our town is sucked almost dry by commercial BD producers, when the entire BD/WVO movement has been built by people who were working for independence. I resent the fact that a grassroot movement is being overtaken by corporate power. I get frustrated that we have pumpers coming from several hundred miles away to take our restaurant oil while the local WVO users have to scrounge for enough oil to run their cars.

Every time I come across a restaurant that is giving oil to one of "us" I tell them that I don't want their oil and that I'm happy that they are giving it to someone other than a BD producer. I congratulate them for supporting local economics.

And yes, I fully realize that corporations are supposed to be doing what they can to grab as much of the market as possible. It's the nature of the beast. But this particular industry - I believe - should recognize above all others that its roots are based in community, in local economics, in grassroots experimentation, and in the power of free people who seek to be autonomous. I do have an expectation that the BD industry (or at least the portion of the industry that is using WVO rather than oil-farm crops) should acquiesce to the people who made it all possible. Unreasonable, I know, but that's how I feel.

So yes, I do whine.

Dan

Hi Dan thank you for whining, and I agree with your assessment. I make biodiesel for environmental reasons not economic. I would still brew bio if it cost me 10$ a gallon. The point is local resources for local fuel production. In my area the time of free wvo is coming to an end. what disturbs me is the growing number of "oil speculators" buying oil for resale. I have lost 2 oil suppliers in the last few weeks am finding it harder to get uncommitted sources.

Eddie in Tampa

I have a restaurant owner signed up with me on trial initially for 2 mo. Then the owner committed, realizing I was reliable, and then 2 weeks after having the grease bin removed he was approached by the renderer and offered 1.38/gal.

I told the owner that either he misunderstood the renderer or the price would be very temporary. I told the owner that if he can get the deal, good for him and "to go for it." But I cautioned him that I thought there is likely a misunderstanding and suggested to ask for a 1 year contract. The renderer has yet to show up with a contract or even return the owner's call, so I'm still collecting the 35 lb containers...and the restaurant owner knows my truck is converted (I have a bonafied need) and that since I've been picking up regularly for some time before he had the bin taken away, I'm not about to stop. I do pay this restaurant owner twice the rate I've been able to ascertain is the highest rate any renderer will pay. And he, in turn puts my oil back in the original containers for pickup.
Restaurants around here get .11/gal typically IF they aren't "paying" to have it hauled away. One restaurant owner showed me their check for $33 for a full grease bin, emptied previously by the renderer. Restaurants are paying in some cases, and some have good oil! I give my dregs to the renderers that pay for oil they collect, btw. And I give my restaurants I buy oil from a funnel I created from a dog food bowl and a sink drain (~$12.00 total).

I can afford to pay more than any renderer is going to offer, and the renderer isn't about to pay all their serviced restaurants! They have an investment in grease bins and equipment, while I have no investment in grease bins (my 35 lb containers are free.) So I can always find a restaurant that will work with me.

Bottom line: Renderers can't compete with you or I!

I put an ad in Craigslist offering 20 cents a gal...someone emailed me back and told me the commercial companies are paying $8.00 a gallon...that's right, he said eight bucks a gal. I responded to him saying that since brand new oil is about $3-$4 a gal, that can't be right. I'm just wondering if this person is mistaken, deluded, or a renderer trying to get me to stop offering money for used oil...

Sounds bogus to me. But I'm curious where do you live that you can get new oil for $3-4/gal? Around here it's at least $6/gal new.

I have lots of people think that WVO = BioD. Maybe your emailer was quoting a BD price, thinking that's what you were talking about? I have to work hard sometimes to get folks to understand that WVO is NOT BioD.

Dan

Maybe I am off a little on the price of new oil...but this guy wrote back and said he was a restaurant GM, and Griffin was paying $9.43 per gallon of WVO picked up. I just cannot believe that this guy is on the level. There's no WAY it could be THAT expensive.

Hey BK the local renderer Cook Environmental services are selling wvo for 3.00 a gallon so they are in competition with Griffin big time. They have even said that they would be putting Griffin out of business. They told this to me while they were trying to get one of my places away from me. the manager has told them no thank you. They are saying that if you allow us to have your oil we will cut you a deal on cleaning your grease traps. Luckily for me the place I have has no grease trap to clean.

Here in Mo. they, the rendering companys will pay .45 per gallon.I am paying for oil when I have to.$2.00 per 5 gal.cubie.
I will pay more if needed to keep the accounts,I am in to deep to go back know.
Matt

I'm sure the renderers read these forums and cragslist too, and why not?

They can reply to any post, and BS is free.

$9/gal? Do they believe this? The people who listen to these renderers and buy their words are hard of hearing or they aren't the sharpest tools in the shed! Okay, that is probably happening in 0.1% of the restaurants.

I have been lucky...the company picking up oil in Va does rotten service. My locations were more than happy to give me their oil which is more than I can use on normal local driving so i am stocking up for those lean times and when I can help others when things are lean....I am lucky that the smaller guys i know are more than happy to help me since they are happy to see it is going for a worthy usage

If i want grease locally, rendorers are paying $1.10 a gallon now.

20-25 miles away i can still get for about $.10 a gallon.

The owner of the Maryland Fried Chicken in my town told me he was getting 14 cents per gallon from Griffin. He was offered 22 cents a gallon by Cooks, so he went with them and told Griffin to come and get their container. Griffin countered that there had been a misunderstanding and they will pay 14 cents per POUND. My quick math tells me that works out to over 80 cents per gallon.

The restaurant owner told me he planned to hold their feet to the fire and demand the 14 cents per POUND on what they had picked up in the past.

I wonder how they are measuring how much they take from a restaurant?

quote:

Originally posted by firemediceric:
The owner of the Maryland Fried Chicken in my town told me he was getting 14 cents per gallon from Griffin. He was offered 22 cents a gallon by Cooks, so he went with them and told Griffin to come and get their container. Griffin countered that there had been a misunderstanding and they will pay 14 cents per POUND. My quick math tells me that works out to over 80 cents per gallon.

The restaurant owner told me he planned to hold their feet to the fire and demand the 14 cents per POUND on what they had picked up in the past.

I wonder how they are measuring how much they take from a restaurant?

It is based on trust, and the restaurant owners know about how much they buy. The restaurant owner needs to get it in writing...a contract or the renderer will drop the price in a few mo. when the VO user is no longer around. If you are looking out for the restaurant owners best interest he will look out for your best interest, IME.