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Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions Added Big Name Clients SpaceX, NASA Space Center, 100+ Whole Foods Locations, Yosemite National Park and Churchill Downs in Q1 and Q2 2023.

Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions (Filta), the pioneering leader of active fryer management and environmental kitchen sustainability across the food and hospitality industries, added many new clients in the first half of 2023 including SpaceX in Cape Canaveral, Fla., NASA Space Center in Houston, more than 100 Whole Foods locations nationwide, Yosemite National Park in California, and Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

“We are always thrilled to add new clients,” said Filta CEO Tom Dunn. “But the heart of our business is local franchise owners helping both high profile customers like SpaceX and Whole Foods, and independent and multi-unit restaurant operators dependably deliver better tasting fried food to patrons while improving employee safety. We have more than 130 franchisees who filter then pick up waste cooking oil every week, recycling more than 5 million gallons a year from thousands of commercial and independent kitchens nationwide. We make kitchens faster, greener, safer, and cleaner.”

SpaceX is serviced by Filta franchise owner Sam Merrill who works in Florida’s Volusia and Brevard Counties. He began working in SpaceX’s main kitchen facility in Cape Canaveral after a months-long security protocol and now microfilters and removes the spent oil from a total of five 50-pound fryers inside kitchens and food trucks on the campus.

NASA Space Center in Houston is serviced by Filta franchise owner Mike Powers, who has a personal passion for the intergalactic, growing up with a dad who was an Apollo project engineer and a mom who was a NASA secretary. This spring, he began servicing the Space Center’s three 80-pound fryers and two 50-pounders that he says cook up chicken tenders that are “out of this world.” Filta also works in more than 50 hospitals in the Houston metro and services the six 50-pound fryers in the Product Evaluation Center at the Sysco Food world headquarters, a hub for kitchen research and development. In Texas, Filta also services all 12 Whole Foods locations in the Houston metro and, in Austin, franchise owner Pablo Gracia services all six locations in the metro that have fryers, including the original location.

Whole Foods is known for its fastidious focus on quality, safety, health and cleanliness. Through a relationship as a national vendor with RTS/Elytus, Filta has become a valued partner with more than 100 Whole Foods locations nationwide which increasingly rely on Filta to help its kitchens run faster, greener, safer and cleaner. In addition to Texas, locations include more than 20 in the Washington, D.C. metro, supervised by franchise owner Derek Riebel, and nearly 10 in the Midwest region of Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington and Columbus, supervised by franchise owners Ken Melick and Ryan Hopper. In the Philadelphia area, franchise owner Allen Whitehead services more than eight Whole Foods, several of which offer other food concepts within their locations including Federal Donuts and Plant Burger. Even more Whole Foods locations are expected to come on board as Filta proves its advantages to kitchens and more individual Filta franchisees nationwide provide free site evaluations, service capabilities for microfiltration, and sample Environmental Impact Reports. Also interested in sustainability and cost reduction, Yosemite National Park approached Filta corporate more than a year ago but more urgently to mitigate a bear problem. With bins of waste oil wafting tempting smells to the wildlife, bears were venturing down to the valley. Arthur and Patricia Haggerty opened the local franchise and re-engaged Yosemite National Park with the assistance of Tim Whipple, the franchise owner in Northern California. Filta removes oil immediately after service leaving kitchens bin free so since Haggerty has been filtering and recycling, there is no need for waste oil bins in Yosemite’s kitchens, fryers are wellmanaged, and Yosemite staff doesn’t have dump oil, risking spills, falls and burns – and the bears need to find their snacks elsewhere. Filta regularly services 20 fryers ranging from 50- to 100-pounds in six Yosemite hotels and restaurants. When winter comes, Haggerty will service 11 fryers in two locations, the Yosemite Valley Lodge and Badger Pass Ski Resort. Churchill Downs became a Filta customer just days before the Kentucky Derby in early May 2023. Midwest franchise owners Ken Melick and Ryan Hopper had the business to service the high-end Matt Winn’s Steakhouse in the new first turn building and other kitchens were so impressed that Filta was asked to work with the entire team of 15 executive chefs and service 22 50-pound fryers, 23 90-pound fryers as well as an additional 10 50-pound fryers brought in for the actual Derby on May 6. All this with Melick and Hopper’s team doing the final walk through just two days before the Derby began – talk about a last stretch sprint.

“The commitment of our franchise owners from the Midwest to California and from Houston to Florida is what has allowed our system to grow and prosper,” said Dunn. “It’s always nice to toss around fancy household names but it’s more gratifying to me knowing that our owners just ‘Do The Right Thing’ with each and every one of their clients, day in and day out.”

Filta makes commercial kitchens faster, cleaner, safer and greener by microfiltering existing cooking oil, providing bin-free waste oil collection, deep cleaning fryers, and recycling waste oil. Customers range from single and chain restaurants to commercial kitchens inside hospitals, hotels, groceries, universities, casinos, business facilities, stadiums (NFL, NCAA, MLB, NHL), and more. Filta has recycled nearly 1 billion pounds of used cooking oil into biodiesel, significantly reducing the impact of waste fryer oil on the environment. For every gallon of biodiesel put into use, Filta prevents 16 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

For more information and www.gofilta.com/franchise for franchise development opportunities.

Franchising can be a gateway to finding a newfound sense of freedom and independence. The path to that freedom is different for everybody – some people know from the beginning that they want to be their own boss, and some just happen to gravitate towards it.

Eric Broussard, the proud owner of Chem-Dry in Chicago, made the leap to entrepreneurship in 2020. Entrepreneurship wasn’t an impulsive decision for him, it took time for Broussard to realize that he should take the leap toward owning his own franchise. His inspiring journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the rewards that await those who dare to pursue their dreams.

careful consideration to align Personal goals

Broussard traversed through various roles before he found the brand that would shift the course of his life, propelling him into entrepreneurship. From facing unemployment, driving for Uber, and later embracing the responsibilities of a paramedic, Broussard’s experience covered a wide spectrum. Eventually, his path led him to the doors of a competing company within the cleaning industry, where he tirelessly dedicated himself to honing his skills and knowledge.

Despite having immersed himself in the cleaning industry twice throughout his career, it was not a quick decision to become a franchisee. It took time before Broussard fully comprehended the potential within himself and the franchise model to seize the opportunity and embrace the pursuit of being his own boss.

It was a leap of faith grounded in a deep-rooted belief in his abilities, a proven business model he found in Chem-Dry, and an unwavering determination to shape his destiny as an entrepreneur.

the decision to invest in the right Franchise opportunity

By 2020 Broussard was working for a competitor in the cleaning industry, exhausted and burnt out almost daily. His wife prompted him with the first question that sealed the deal for his decision to

pursue franchise ownership – “How Long Are You Going to Do This?”

This question made Broussard evaluate how long he could continue in his current role, and begin exploring how he could turn his life around. He started to make plans, putting a timeline on what he wanted out of the next five years. One of his big considerations was how his business was going to be shaped in 2020. At the height of the pandemic, he would need to think innovatively to make sure people felt safe and validate his customers were getting a valuable service during challenging times.

Broussard did not let this deter him, and he joined the Chem-Dry team.

When considering becoming a franchisee, Broussard found the most comfort moving forward in part due to the tremendous training and support offered by the franchisor. Chem Dry provides a comprehensive training program that helps train new franchisees on every aspect of their new business, as well as ongoing support and coaching. This includes training on marketing and all business programs and platforms, how to continue to grow your business, and much more.

Business ownership is always harder than it looks, but having a recognizable brand behind you that offers lots of training, support, and resources can help make the opportunity to succeed more attainable.

open, operating, growing

Opening during the midst of the pandemic was a challenge on its own, but by diversifying services and prioritizing customer service, Broussard’s business continued to thrive despite the pandemic’s hurdles. His track record of determination and knowledge of the industry, paired with the backing of a reputable franchisor, wildly contributed to his success.

Broussard believes that investing in a proven business model is one of the best ways entrepreneurs can tap into an established brand’s success while still enjoying the benefits of being their own boss. He found that franchising provides a structured framework and support system, allowing individuals to leverage the expertise and resources of a larger organization while retaining the flexibility to make autonomous decisions. The blend of guidance and autonomy seen at Chem Dry empowers aspiring business owners, like himself, to shape their own future, create a fulfilling work-life balance, and ultimately pave their path towards financial stability and personal fulfillment.

Since its launch in 1977, Chem-Dry has become the recognized market leader by building a robust network of 1,800 franchises across the country, serving more than 40,000 homes and businesses weekly across 55 countries. With the $5 billion carpet cleaning industry expected to increase 1.5% in 2023, Chem-Dry is poised to continue its market leadership and growth.

According to Chem-Dry’s Franchise Disclosure Document, the Top 25% of franchise territories generated $700,250 in 2022, earning 16.4% more than the previous year.

Broussard has serviced thousands of homes and businesses since opening in 2020, delighting customers along the way and making him a standout franchisee in the Chem-Dry system.

For Broussard, seeking to break free from the constraints of traditional employment, franchising offered an enticing opportunity to take control of his professional destiny.

For more information about the franchise opportunity, call 877-450-4874 or visit chemdryfranchise.com.