The IFA has announced its keynote speaker for its annual convention in San Antonio next month. It’s an interesting choice, and certainly a marquee name.

George W Bush, native Texan and the 43rd President of the United States, will deliver the keynote address at the IFA Convention on February 6th. Bush has enjoyed his life outside of the Oval Office and it marks the second convention in a row that a former US president has attended. Bush’s predecessor, Bill Clinton, addressed the assembled franchise community in San Diego one year ago.

By Abraham Aboraya

SEMINOLE COUNTY - When Gov. Charlie Crist signed an executive order in July to make the state government a more environmentally friendly employer, part of the provision was that agencies should use “green lodging” for conferences when it’s available.

Tom Rovison, the owner of franchise company Filtafry, hopes his company’s business of reducing waste in restaurants will get a boost from the order as the New Year comes around and the bulk of the order comes into effect.

“A lot of these companies are in a rush right now to get involved with the Florida Restaurant [and Lodging] Association and the green theme lodging so they’re still allowed to host these functions,” Rovison said. “What happens at that point is people have to follow certain waste guidelines – reduction to a certain level – a

nd we help them get to that level and it’s a cost effective way of doing it.”

Rovison’s company uses a vacuum and pressurized filter system, an imported system from Europe, to clean the frying oil and double the life of the oil. Rovison said that one of his goals for 2008 is to expand his business in Seminole County.

“No one likes to clean the fryers, but we’ve got it down to a science,” Rovison said. “We’ve got all the tools that are needed to do it fast, safely and cost effectively.”

Filtafry has a sister company that works with restaurants and cafeterias to secure the used oil and convert it to bio-diesel fuel. ABC Research Corporation in Gainesville, a company that does lab work for Burger King, said the recycled oil may be lower in coal tar and even trans fat, the Orlando Business Journal reported.

The company is also expanding and offering a filter service for freezers, which Rovison said can both lower the temperature of the freezer and equalize the humidity, which means less time with the compressor running.

“You save on electricity which means less fossil fuels which means more environmentally friendly,” Rovison said.

Rovison services a variety of clients, from the cafeteria at Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford to all three Papa Joe’s in Seminole County. For many of his clients, Rovison said, it’s not the environmental and health benefits that lure clients to his business as much as it is the release of liability.

According to a 1999 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, there was an estimated 44,800 injuries suffered by restaurant workers – and nearly half of those injuries were from burns. Numbers for burns in Seminole County aren’t kept by state’s worker’s compensation department, the state Department of Health or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Florida office.

When Danna McGowen arrives at a business in the bright yellow Fitafry van, he’s wearing what look like welding gloves – thick gloves that go to the elbow made from bulletproof kevlar – and he’s armed with four years of experience changing out the 360-degree oil.

Both McGowen and Rovison said people often show them the scars they’ve gotten changing or cleaning the oil.

“They’ll roll their arms up and show you the scars,” Rovison said. “We take that liability away from them and give them a better product.”

“We can handle pretty much anything coming our way,” Rovison said. Currently, he estimates that he filters about 10,000 pounds of oil in a week. “The more (clients) the merrier.”

As anyone who has ever worked in the food service industry can tell you, one of the least favorite task of any kitchen staff member is the changing out of fryer oil.  Not only is it an arduous and unpleasant task, but it can actually be dangerous.  Burns from fryers and hot cooking oil account for a large percentage of the workplace injuries reported by commercial kitchens.  FiltaFry can help you greatly reduce the chance of burn injuries in your kitchen.

Fryer maintenance is a crucial part of any commercial kitchen’s operational routine.  Unfortunately, all too often this task is left to inexperienced younger staff members who don’t understand the importance of proper fryer care and maintenance.  This lack of motivation results in fryers that are not adequately cleaned.  Employees that don’t care about the task at hand are also more likely to be careless and put themselves in harm’s way.  Why leave the task to an inadequately motivated employee when you can actually save money by putting your fryers into FiltaFry’s hands?

What Does FiltaFry Offer?

FiltaFry is not your typical waste oil removal service.  They will remove your used cooking oil, certainly, but that is just the start of the FiltaFry service.  What FiltaFry offers your kitchen is a total fryer and cooking oil managements service that will help your business reduce waste, increase safety and efficiency, improve the quality of your fried foods and save you money.  FiltaFry purifies and disposes of your oil and maintains your fryers in optimal condition for peak performance.

How Does it Work?

FiltaFry uses a revolutionary micro-filtration system to filter and purify the oil directly from your business’s fryers.  The FiltaFry filtration process is able to remove particles and contaminates over 100 times smaller than the factory installed filter on your fryer.  As a result of FiltaFry filtration your oil tastes better and fresher and lasts longer.  In fact, your oils life will be extended by so much that your business could see oil consumption drop by as much as half.
FiltaFry doesn’t stop at just purifying your oil and disposing of waste oil.  While you FiltaFry technician is purifying your oil he or she will also thoroughly clean your fryers.  Your technician will also check to ensure that your fryer is working optimally.

Helping You Save

Most customers claim that the money they save on cooking oil alone more than pays for the FiltaFry service.  FiltaFry helps customers save even more by keeping fryers running at their peak energy efficiency.   FiltaFry also helps you save money through increased safety.

When put your fryers in the capable hands of your local FiltaFry representative, you remove the risk of employee injuries related to fryer maintenance.  Restaurants that report low incidents of injury in the workplace can save up to 25% on insurance.  The average reduction in yearly insurance cost is around $1,400 annually.

When you use FiltaFry you can expect to see improved efficiency, decreased waste, greater safety in your kitchen and big savings.  Don’t ask, “Can I afford to use FiltaFry in my kitchen?”  Ask, “Can I afford not to?”

If you are like millions of other Americans, you probably wake up grudgingly each morning, rush through your morning routine and plod off to a job that you don’t find satisfying, personally or financially.  If you are one of the many stuck in a rut and living for the weekend, then maybe it is time for a change.  Wouldn’t you like to break away from the routine and become your own boss?

Small business ownership is not a just a pipedream.  With the Filta Group, business ownership can be a reality.  Owning your own business can be easier than you may have ever dared to hope.

The Filta Brand

Filta operates as small, mobile business that provide kitchen management services within the food-service and other industries in your area.  Most Filta franchisees run their business as owner-operated, home based ventures.  Filta franchises are inexpensive to start up and run at a very low overhead.

The Filta business offers two services, FiltaFry and FiltaCool.  FiltaFry is a full service fryer and waste oil management package.  FiltaFry helps business reduce the amount of oil they use in their fryers and helps to maintain fryers.  FiltaCool provides customers with multi-function filters for commercial coolers.  The FiltaCool filters regulate cooler conditions, helping coolers run more efficiently and keeping stored products fresh for longer.

Filta Franchising

Because Filta franchises are small operations that can be run from anywhere, the cost of starting up a Filta franchise is significantly less than most other franchising options.  For a single unit (one van operating within one territory), a franchise can be purchased and completely set up for less than $80,000.  That price includes more than just franchising fees and the equipment needed to run the franchise.  Filta also provides intensive training, both in class and in the field.

Larger multi-unit franchises are also available for those who wish to invest more and start bigger.  For just $195,000 you can get on the Premier Track plan.  The Premier Track package provides you with everything you need to run two units out in the field.  Your Premier Track Filta franchise will be assigned 4 territories to do business in, so you can truly maximize your business’s potential right from the start.  Filta will even assign a sales assistant to you for the first 90 days of your business to help you promote your new business and gain repeat customer accounts.

Filta and You

When you join the Filta family you join up with one of the fastest growing franchises in the country.  You get the backing and support of the Filta Group’s dedicated staff, as well as the knowledge and experience of hundred of successful Filta franchisees.  These experienced professionals are available anytime through the FiltaNet to help answer your questions and give you valuable tips and advice based on years of experience in the field.

Filta stands behind its product and services.  Even more importantly, Filta stands behind it’s family, the Filta franchisees.  When you’re with Filta your truly are “in business for yourself, but not by yourself.”

Here’s some good news for franchisees and business-owners going into the holiday break. Congress has extended some critical SBA loans that were set to expire by the New Year.

The Wall Street Journal has done some excellent reporting on the story. These loans may only be extended until February for now, but in reality, this will be a big help for businesses struggling to make it to 2010. These were loans created under last February’s Recovery Act and essentially they raised the government’s guarantee on SBA loans from 90% to 75%.

In a press release, Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said: “Small businesses have been left in limbo since the funding ran out. [The legislation] will provide a lifeline to small businesses in need of credit.”

There was a lot of lobbying done in Washington to get these loans extended, so while the timespan is somewhat short, ultimately, it shows that people on Capitol Hill are still taking the needs of small businesses into account.

On this positive note, we wish all a happy and safe holiday season and look forward to another happy year of franchising in 2010.

Last week’s franchise Outlook 2010 provided a very concise forecast for the franchise market for the coming year. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we still have a journey in front of us before we return to the headier days of 2005 and 2006.

What will the franchise community do to bring about the conditions for its next successful era? The IFA specifically called for the franchising community to come together and pool its know-how for the betterment of the whole industry in its outlook for the next year. The 2010 IFA Convention will offer the first opportunity of the year to do so.

Online registration has opened for the 50th IFA Convention. It will be held in the Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The IFA Convention is one of the biggest franchising events on the calendar, and it should be an even bigger occasion this year, given the landmark anniversary. We will provide more info on discussions, speakers and roundtable meetings as they are released.

It’s an outstanding occassion to get to know your fellow franchisors and franchisees and we recommend you do everything you can to get to San Antonio in the first week of February.

2009 has been a big year for international franchising. If anything, it’s a sign that the world is getting smaller by the day. But it doesn’t mean that relocating your franchise to a new country will lead to overnight success. As franchises reach more and more exotic locales, you’ll have to bring a brand new culture around to a new way of doing business.

Food franchises have been the most bullish about international expansion, but in many ways, they face the greatest challenges in cracking the developing world. There might be billions of people living in India and China, but beyond the novelty value, how interested are locals in eating fried chicken or double-cheeseburgers on a regular basis? Not only do these cultures have their national foods but they have their own eating habits. Food franchises must lay the ground for a new alternative.

It is no coincidence that the rise of franchising in America coincided directly with the rise of the American middle class. Franchising is perfectly suited to the needs of middle class life. We now see America’s biggest franchises trying to fully establish themselves in a host of developing economies with a growing entrepreneurial class. These are interesting times.

Russia, the world’s biggest country, is one of the countries that McDonald’s and Burger King are specifically eyeing. Their challenges, as Reuters recently outlined, are quite obvious: 70% of people Russians don’t eat outside the home. Now if you’re a ‘glass half-empty’ international franchisor, maybe you stay away from Russia, figuring that these eating traditions are fixed and rooted in time. But McDonald’s and Burger King are “glass half-full” franchisors. They look at this population of 141million and see a massive chunk of the population ready to trade in gulash for Whoppers. It’s the kind of ambition that franchises need to thrive abroad. Remember, restaurants were a novelty during the Communist years. BK are so bullish on Russia they’re opening 40 units in 2010.

And Russia isn’t the only market appetizing QSR franchises. Yum Foods, owner of Taco Bell and KFC, are planning to open 1000 units in India in the next few years, the Wall Street Journal reports. It’s a big leap and even greater proof that America’s food giants think that the world wants “American” food. And as the global economy creates a new middle class in countries like Russia, India and China, I’m tempted to believe them.

If you are a restaurant owner or if you manage any type of commercial kitchen, chances are you have run across, or at least heard of, FiltaFry.  You have probably heard claims of how FiltaFry reduces waste and saves businesses a substantial amount of money in their operations.  Just how true are these claims and how does FiltaFry save its customers money?
Oil Savings

FiltaFry is primarily known for its amazing ability to drastically reduce the amount of oil used in fryer operation.  In fact, the average FiltaFry customer sees their oil consumption drop to half of its previous level.  When you consider that the average restaurant uses approximately 10,000 pounds of cooking oil each year, that’s a huge difference.

FiltaFry is able to reduce oil waste by half thanks to its unique micro-filtration process.  This filtration process eliminates 99 percent of contaminants that break down cooking oil, thereby doubling the longevity of the oil.

A Look at the Numbers

A kitchen that uses three 50 pound fryers in their kitchen would use, on average, 9 boxes of oil each week.  That could be $315 a week in oil cost alone.  If you figure in labor costs at $10 an hour for two hours of employee time the cost of running the three fryers for one week comes out to $335.

If that business used FiltaFry just once a week at $67.50 per service call, they could see their oil use dropped in half, down to $157.50 per week.  Their fryers would be maintained by a competent professional with no need to use their own employee labor.  That comes out to a total of $225 each week.  That’s a savings of $110 on just oil alone, with the added benefit of having the fryers professionally maintained.

Further Savings

The savings with FiltaFry doesn’t stop at just a few less boxes of oil each week.  When your fryers are professionally maintained by FiltaFry, your employees are not put at risk by doing the hazardous job of oil and fryer maintenance.  Because FiltaFry representatives are trained to establish optimal usage protocols for your fryers the chances of boil outs and other dangerous occurrences are greatly reduces as well.  This means an overall decrease in the amount of work related injuries in your kitchen, which can lead to savings of up to 25% on your insurance.  The average savings for restaurants that report low numbers of injuries is around $1,400 per year.

You will also save money on your energy usage.  FiltaFry maintained fryers run more efficiently and use less energy.  FiltaFry will also work with your staff on establishing better fryer practices that will help your staff run your fryers better while reducing energy waste.

The Filta Difference

FiltaFry is committed to helping your business run more efficiently and cost effectively.  The FiltaFry service is also 100% environmentally friendly.  There’s never been a better way to “go green”.  Waste less and save more with FiltaFry.

Every day millions of Americans wake up and trundle off to thankless and unfulfilling jobs.  Many dream of someday breaking away and becoming their own bosses with their own successful businesses.  Most will never realize that dream because they lack the education, experience, financial backing, or the actual drive to really go after it.  However, for those truly sincere in their desire for business ownership, Filta can help make that dream a reality.

What is Filta?

Filta is the industry leader in the business of environmentally friendly, cost effective business solutions for commercial kitchens.  Filta franchises offer two outstanding services, directly to commercial kitchens (i.e. restaurants, hospitals, airports, etc.), that help their customers operate more efficiently and save big money.  The FiltaFry service provides a comprehensive fryer and oil management service that reduces waste, promotes workplace safety, cuts energy use and improves food quality.  The FiltaCool service offers businesses that use cold storage a means of reducing spoilage, improving the taste of perishable goods, conserving energy and extending the life of their equipment.

Both of the Filta services are 100% environmentally friendly.  These services have been proven over time to save their users big money in the operation of their kitchen and to provide a better, safer work environment for their staffs.  Filta owners can rest assured that their services are in demand in the food-service industry.

Filta Education

It does not matter what your level of education or your level of experience is;  if you have the drive to step out and take control of your career, then Filta can help put you in the driver’s seat.  You don’t have to have a degree in business management.  Filta provides all new franchisees with in-depth training on the business administration tools needed to succeed with Filta.

Even if you have never operated a commercial fryer, Filta’s comprehensive training will transform you into a knowledgeable professional.  Franchisees are thoroughly trained in all aspects of fryer maintenance and care, as well as in the realm of commercial cooling units.  Filta provides its franchise owners with expansive classroom training and also hands-on training in the field, under the supervision of a successful Filta franchisee mentor.

Filta Affordability

With Filta, your finances don’t have to exclude you from the dream of business ownership.  Many franchises can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Because Filta franchises are small, mobile, owner-operated business they can be established for much, much less.  Single unit Filta franchises cost less than $80,000 to start.  This includes all of the equipment and stock needed to run a Filta franchise, plus all of the training needed to make your franchise a success.  Even better, Filta can even help you get financing for your franchise.  You don’t have to already be rich to meet your goal of business ownership.

Filta makes business ownership easier than ever before.  It is for this reason that Filta has been listed in the Franchise Times list of top 55 fastest growing franchisors on three consecutive years.  With Filta, you really can take charge of your life and your financial future by become a business owner.

You may have already heard about how Filta has made business ownership more accessible than ever before.  You may already be aware of how Filta makes owning a business a practical reality even if you have no prior business experience.  In fact, Filta has already helped hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs across the world achieve their goals of successful business ownership.  But just what are the realities of Filta franchise ownership?

Single Unit Filta Ownership

One of the reasons that Filta franchises are such a practical business move for people who are just starting out in the world of business ownership is because they are small operations that can be run from home and operated entirely by the owner.  For this reason, single unit franchise ownership is often the most practical way to get into the Filta business.  Single unit franchise ownership is extremely affordable and Filta can even help with financing in many cases.

The one time franchising fee to establish yourself as a Filta franchisee is an amazingly low $31,000.  This fee also covers establishing the territory in which your franchise will operate, free from competition by any other Filta franchise owner.  There is an additional $5000 Franchise Development Fund fee that helps in the promotion of your franchise to bring you more business.  Once you’re ready to get started with your franchise, everything you need to get your Filta business going is available in the Opening Package for $43,000.  This includes all your equipment, stock and Filta’s comprehensive training course to equip you with all of the tools you need to succeed with your business.  The total price tag to get you started with your own business?  $79,000.  That’s right, you could own your own business for less than the cost of a small home.

The Multi-Unit Option

Those looking to start big with their business are not limited to single unit Filta franchise ownership.  The Filta Group also offers a multi-unit, Premier Track Filta franchising package to meet the needs of those who want to start with an expanded Filta business.  Premier Track Filta franchise package includes two Opening Packages, with everything needed to operate two mobile Filta services and twice the initial stock of supplies.  The multi-unit package also includes, not 2, but 4 full territories to operate your franchise in!

To help get your multi-unit franchise off on the best possible footing, for the first 90 days of your new Filta business, you will also be provided with the support of a full-time sales support staff member.  Your sales support will help to establish a strong customer base throughout your 4 territories so that your business begins to grow and thrive right from the start.  The cost of multi-unit Premier Track Filta ownership is only $195,000.  That is, essentially, 4 times the franchise for only twice the cost of a single unit franchise.

Whatever your business needs, Filta can help you realize your dream of franchise ownership.  Why settle for slaving away at your dead-end job another day?  Call Filta and find out how easy it is to take control and go into business for yourself.

Way back in 1985, John Naisbitt, the author of Megatrends, wrote the text “The Future of Franchising: Looking 25 Years Ahead to the Year 2010 for the IFA. Naisbitt stated that franchising was certain to grow, and, as the IFA have acknowledged, he was right. But where does franchising go from here? That was the subject of yesterday’s 2010 Economic Outlook.

There’s loads of material in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Outlook and we’ll hope to touch on some of the key findings here. The forecast for the next year calls for “slow growth”. I don’t think this will shock anyone who’s been following the industry closely. The recession may be behind us, but the lending market is still harsh, and political issues, such as the environment and coming health care legislation, don’t make things easier.

The feeling is that the franchising sector will mirror the small gains the domestic economy as a whole is slated to make.

The sectors that are predicted to experience the highest growth are Personal Services, Quick Service Restaurants and Business Services. Job losses are predicted in the lodging sector, while real estate industry should see some new jobs added.

There’s also a poll of franchise owners on the state of the industry. A small majority expects the economy to improve in 2010 and there has been a 15% hike in the number of business owners that feel that the economy’s performance will be “somewhat good” in the next 12 months.

As far as strategies for the future go, the IFA have a four part plan that reads like this:

• To shape the legislative, regulatory and public policy decisions that impact franchising.
• To enhance and promote the unique image, attributes, and benefits of franchising and of the association among key audiences.
• To provide programs and services that provides value to members
• To increase membership across all franchise sectors.

These are all pretty interesting and hopefully, if delivered can ensure the future growth of franchising. As you’d expect, there’s plenty of reaction in the media. CNBC did an interesting interview with Matthew Shay about the Outlook, and also spoke to a UPS Store franchisee. Meanwhile, over on the Uptake Travel Industry blog, Julie Sturgeon bemoans the problems with lodging sector, while providing an overview on the report. Thankfully, the IFA have provided a fact sheet for anyone looking for specific figures on the report.

In recent years, one name has been consistently making a splash within the food-service industry by helping businesses run more efficiently, improve the quality of their products and save a lot of money.  Even more impressive is the fact that this much talked about business offers not one, but two outstanding services to help improve businesses.  So who is this incredible business that has so many people talking?  It is the industry leader in environmental kitchen solutions, Filta.

Who is Filta?

The Filta Group originated in the U.K. in 1996.  What started as a small fryer and waste oil management service, called FiltaFry, quickly grew and spread across the U.K. and, eventually across the globe.  Filta has quickly made a name for itself in the United States for helping businesses “go green” in their kitchens while saving a lot of money.  Now with the addition of FiltaCool filters for commercial refrigeration units, there are even more ways to save money, streamline operations, reduce waste and improve quality.

A Look at FiltaFry

FiltaFry, Filta’s premier service, takes the concept of waste oil removal to a whole new level.  While traditional waste oilremoval services simply charge you to come by and empty out your oil bin, FiltaFry revolutionizes the very way that you use your fryers.  FiltaFry is a complete fryer and oil management service.  When you use FiltaFry in your restaurant or other commercial kitchen, you can expect to see a dramatic drop in the amount of shortening you use in your fryers.  Many customers report that, with FiltaFry, their oil costs are cut in half!

Filta helps reduce oil usage by 50% by its highly efficient micro-filtration process.  Most commercial fryer filters only catch large particles in the 200-300 micron range.  Smaller particles, like carbon fibers, remain to degrade oil and render it unfit for frying.  FiltaFry filtration removes particles as small as 2-3 microns in size.  As a result your oil lasts longer and tastes better.  The FiltaFry service also includes fryer cleaning and maintenance, taking the burden and risk off of your staff.

The New FiltaCool

Even if you don’t use fryers in your business, if you use a walk-in cooler or any other type of commercial refrigeration unit, then Filta can help your business run better and more cost effectively.  FiltaCool filters are specifically designed to meet the needs of commercial cooler.  FiltaCool filters are inexpensive to get and take up virtually no space inside your cooling unit.

FiltaCool filters work in several ways to modify the environment inside of you cooler.  They trap gases that accelerate decomposition, regulate humidity, trap odors, and discourage bacterial growth.  Coolers that use FiltaCool filters run much more energy efficiently.  Because they don’t have to work as hard to maintain a stable temperature, units with FiltaCool filters installed need less maintenance and last longer, too.

No matter what your business needs, Filta can help you get your business running more efficiently, more cost effectively and more environmentally friendly.  Filta comes to you on your schedule to provide you the services you need to optimize your business.  With Filta you can “go green” while saving some green.

The Filta Group was already establishing itself as an international powerhouse, being named in Franchise Times top 55 fastest growing franchises for 3 consecutive years, when it introduced the FiltaCool service to compliment its acclaimed FiltaFry service.  FiltaCool means more ways to save big money for Filta customers, but what does FiltaCool mean for Filta’s hundreds of successful franchisees?

Expanded Customer Base

The addition of FiltaCool filters in 2008 opened up a whole new arena of potential customers for Filta owners.  No longer limited to offering services to establishments that use commercial fryers in their business, Filta franchisees are now able to provide amazing, cost saving benefits to any business that uses commercial refrigeration units too.  From grocery stores to florists, anywhere that business depends on keeping products cool can see drastic improvements in longevity of their products and increased efficiency in their coolers with FiltaCool filters.

Of course, most of the establishments that benefit from the FiltaFry fryer and waste oil management service  also use walk-in coolers or other forms of commercial refrigeration to store their produce and other perishables.  Now Filta owners are able to provide these customers with two great services in one visit.  With more potential customers, Filta franchisees are growing faster than ever before.

The Simplicity of FiltaCool

One of the most exiting aspects of the FiltaCool service, from a franchisee standpoint, is the fact that it is that the service is so incredibly easy to perform.  Installing the filter brackets into the cooler takes about 10 minutes to do.  After the initial installation, filter only need to be changed out every 3 months.  The process of swapping out filters takes only a minute or two.  It’s so quick and simple.

Added Revenue

Even though the FiltaCool filters take almost no time to install and maintain, they provide Filta owners with a constant source of revenue.  Customers rent FiltaCool filters at an average price of $12 per month.  Since the filters only need to be switched out every 3 months, that is $36 for just a few minutes of time.  When you consider that the average FiltaCool customer uses 6 filters in their establishment, a Filta franchisee could potentially make $216 from providing FiltaCool filters to a single customer in each 3 month cycle.  Multiply that by the number of customer and the number grows to incredible proportions, all for just a few minutes of time.

Even better for the Filta franchise owner, the filters are entirely reusable, too.  All the franchisee needs to do is take them back to their home base of operations and degas them.  Then the FiltaCool filters are ready to be rented out for another 3 months.  What a business!

Future Growth

The Filta Group has stayed at the front line of the kitchen services industry by keeping at the forefront of improving their services and developing new and innovative kitchen solutions.  As such, Filta franchisees can certainly expect to be able to offer even more exciting and highly marketable services in the future.  As Filta continues to grow, Filta franchisees will continue to reap the rewards.

As the year winds down, it’s a relevant time to start to analyze the trends that will shape franchising for years to come. Especially as we stand on the verge of the next decade, one wonders exactly how the meta-factors that are changing the world-at-large will trickle down to effect the neighborhood franchise.

Take climate change. Over in Copenhagen, delegates from the around the world are meeting to (hopefully) iron out an agreement that will seek to control international carbon dioxide emissions for the next generation. Climate change is a contentious subject, and while it’s something I notice every now and again, I can’t say it has a real impact on my life. But that could soon be changing.

As a regular reader of the web magazine Slate, I was fascinated to read an article on the history of the fast food drive-thru and its potentially troubled future. To summarize from the article, the popularity of the drive-thru is directly linked the growth and popularity of US car culture, marrying as it does “mobility” and “consumption”. But with talk of oncoming carbon taxes and the specter of Peak Oil, what will a world fewer cars mean for QSRs with drive-thru facilities?

The answer could be quite damaging for QSRs. The Slate article states that 65% of McDonald’s sales come from drive-thru’s. The success of American fast food restaurants is built upon their ability to provide a top product in a short enough time to fulfill a consumer’s expectation for convenience. It remains to be seen if Americans will line up in a store itself with the same gusto.

As for the future, one would think that the day of the ‘walk-through’ or ‘cycle-through’ restaurant is not too far off, but the Slate article also profiles many of the teething problems with this trend. So while it’s a bit early to write the obituary of the drive-thru, those food franchises that can deliver a convenient model for the on-coming green age may be mostly likely to prosper.

Most of us could never hope to afford starting up a large, big name franchise like a McDonalds or a Super 8 motel.  These business ventures require a substantial amount of capital to start-up and a lot of know-how and experience to run successfully.  Those of us with limited access to financing and perhaps not a lot of management experience are not without option, though.  Small franchises, such as Filta, offer affordable, easy to run business that can be profitable and rewarding.

Start-Up

Part of what makes starting a small franchise, like a mobile Filta franchise, a realistic option for people with limited financial means is the fact that the start-up cost is so much less than with many other large-name franchises.  A big name fast-food chain can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to establish.  If you look into motels, that figure can easily jump into the several millions.

Small franchises can be purchased and set up for just a fraction of those costs.  In fact, a single unit Filta franchise can be purchase for less than $80,000.  In many cases, as with Filta, the franchisor can even assist with financing.  This makes business ownership accessible to a much broader range of people.  Small franchises, such as Filta, offer a solid return on investment for less money.

Total Control

Another great aspect of small franchising is that it puts the owner in complete control of the business.  Many Filta franchises are completely owner operated, in fact.  This means that the owner is also the sole employee providing all of the Filta services within his or her territory.  The owner doesn’t have to worry about paying employees or insuring them, nor does he or she have to worry about his or her standards of quality being met.  The owner has absolute say over every aspect of how the business is run and performed.

Home Office Benefits

Many small franchise can even be run right out of the home.  Some, like Filta franchises, are entirely mobile and can easily be administrated from a home office.  There are several benefits to running a business from home.  Obviously, it significantly lowers the overhead of the business.  The owner needn’t worry about paying rent for a business location, extra insurance, bills, etc.  On the contrary, running a business from home can actually save the owner money on taxes.  When a business, like a Filta franchise, is run from home a percentage of rent, utilities and other expenses become eligible to be claimed as deductions on the owner’s taxes.  This can be a substantial boon to the small business owner, increasing profits by lowering overhead.

The Big Picture

The fact is, small business can be as profitable as the owner is willing to make them.  Since most, like Filta franchises, are owner-operated it is up to the owner to put in the hours providing and promoting the service.  If the owner is willing to do the work then it can be quite lucrative.  For the individual who is used to putting in long hours for someone else’s profit, small franchise ownership can provide away to truly benefit from their own strong work ethic.

This day next week, the International franchise Association will publish its franchise Outlook 2010. The projections that Matt Shay will outline for the coming year of franchising will provide an essential insight into the how the industry is faring at the moment, not to mention a weather vane for how the short-term of franchising is shaping up.

In a preview of what is to come that appeared on About.com’s franchising blog, Shay is specifically targeting a $3.4billion “windfall in lending”. The downside to this windfall is 134,000 jobs that aren’t created and $13.9billion in economic activity that is not thrust into the economy.

Shay’s solution is pretty simple in one sense: to get banks lending again ASAP. He calls on Congress to immediately pass on pending legislation. “Immediately passing enhancements to government lending programs can shore up the $3.4 billion shortfall in lending. New franchise businesses can create much needed jobs – which will speed the U.S. economic recovery.

Shay will further detail the Small Business Lending Matrix and Analysis next week. From these preliminary statements, it seems the pressure has never been greater on America’s legislators to get these laws passed so that the business of franchising can help inspire the return of the US economy.

Keep an eye on this blog for more info on franchise Outlook 2010. The IFA will be presenting it via a webinar that will feature Shay, Dina Dwyer-Owens and Dr Drew Lyon of PriceWaterhouse Coppers (pre-registration is required)

Whether or not you’re a franchisor working in a skyscraper in Manhattan or a Subway franchisee managing a small team in Tacoma, Washington, you will need to be a leader in order for your business to succeed. But where does that capacity for leadership come from? We have some free insight.

Ugo Ginatta, CEO of Paciugo Franchising, has made his niche franchising coffee and gelato, two specifically Italian delicacies. With many years of business under his belt, Ugo has a pretty spot-on idea of how business leaders are made and he shared them with Small Business magazine recently.

Ugo offered the following 3 tips to wannabe business leaders:

• Involve people for the start
• Build a wide-angle view
• Know when to take a back-seat

Also, Ugo offers this specific advice:
“I like to be informal as a leader and like to be peer to peer when possible. I have a completely open door because I am here for long hours. I’m normally the first one in the door and almost the last to leave in the evening.”

He’s always accessible, but he’s also an example to those around him. Perhaps it’s true that business leaders are born and not made, but you can learn a lot from Ugo’s career trajectory and the success he has enjoyed.

We’re firm believers that you can’t get enough good advice when you’re making the decision to buy a franchise. Many people have different perspectives on the best way to do it, and we’re happy to pass on the soundest wisdom so that you can take it all on board before making that big investment.

Don Saszkowski does a credible job keep on top of the most important issues in franchising over at About.com, and recently he invited Richard Parker, president of the Diomo Center to write a franchises.about.com/od/buyingafranchise/a/buy-an-existing-franchise.htm”>guest post with questions every entrepreneur should ask themselves before buying a franchise.

Here are some of the questions that we thought were the most illuminating:

On the franchise:

• Is your territory protected and for how long and what area?
• Are you required to meet certain annual sales figures and what happens if you don’t?
• Are there any family members working in the business? If so, how much are they paid (usually below market)? What additional expenses will you now incur to replace them?
• What is the failure rate in the system?

On the franchisor:

• Are they willing to finance the purchase?
• If you have to sign a new contract, you need to carefully analyze any issues that could impact your sales and/or profitability. If for example the royalty rate and marketing fund has increased, then you will make less profit. You have to then adjust the numbers the seller has given you to accommodates these ratios.
• Find out which are the best franchises in the system and call/visit with the owners. Ask them what they do best, the advice they would give you, and discuss the store you are considering but never disclose which one it is.

Ask yourself all of these questions. You’ll find more advice in franchise Direct’s ‘ franchise buying franchisedirect.com/information/guidetobuyingafranchise/29/”>guide.

Consider all of this before investing in a franchise and it’s likely you’ll be buying into a business you can trust.

“As McDonald’s goes, so to does franchising.” This might be an extreme overstatement, but nonetheless, the Golden Arches has had such a defining role in the evolution of franchising that many entrepreneurs and analysts will use it as a bellwether for how the industry is faring as a whole.

Those insiders will be have taken positive news from the McDonald’s recent gathering for analysts and journalists at its corporate headquarters in Illinois last week. According to the Wall Street Journal, the attitude of the McDonald’s corporate executive was typically bullish, with the company extremely optimistic about the way it has positioned itself for the time beyond the recession.

“This is also as much about changing the perception of our brand in the consumer’s mind that allows us to stretch both the price and products you can serve in a re-imaged restaurant,” McDonald’s Chief Financial Officer Peter Bensen said.

The confidence is a direct result of the investment in new stores and technology, as well as the unveiling of popular new products.

Restaurant profits are down in the last year across the industry, but McDonald’s market share has remained steady. The WSJ reports that some of the products coming down the pipeline are new wraps, smoothies and frappes and possibly a $1 breakfast menu. Clearly the challenge for McDonald’s, and indeed everyone in the QSR sector, is balancing the surge in consumer frugality brought on by the recession with the constant demand for a high-quality product.

As the year goes on, McDonald’s seem like they’re in a great position to retain the top ranking in franchise Direct second franchisedirect.com/top100globalfranchises/”>Top 100 Global franchises.

The Filta Group, established in the United Kingdom in 1996, has been making waves in the food service industry for over a decade with its radical and money saving approach to waste oil and fryer management under the FiltaFry name.  Ranked in the Franchise Times list of America’s fastest growing franchises for three years running, it’s no surprise that this company is garnering a lot of positive attention.  With the addition of a whole new FiltaCool commercial refrigeration service in 2008, this company is showing some remarkable product development that mirrors its growth in the marketplace.  This marked growth, coupled with the ease of running a Filta mobile franchise, makes the Filta Group an alluring prospect for investors looking to start up their own franchise.

What is Filta?

Filta is the ultimate in van based mobile franchising.  Filta franchisees offer two great services, FiltaFry and FiltaCool, both of which are performed on site at their customers’ establishments.  These eco-friendly services are designed to improve efficiency and safety in the kitchen, reduce waste and dramatically cut costs for Filta users.

FiltaFry

FiltaFry, the original service which made Filta such an acclaimed success in the food service industry, offers a complete system of cooking oil and fryer management.  Filta operators make scheduled weekly visits to restaurants and other commercial kitchens to micro-filter fryer oil and maintain fryers.  The advanced filtration system removes 99% of contaminants from oils, doubling its usable life so that kitchens use only half as much oil in their fryers.  FiltaFry technicians also clean and maintain fryers, keeping them running at optimum efficiency, reducing energy usage and creating a safer work environment for the business’s employees.

FiltaCool

The newly introduced FiltaCool products bring all of the improved efficiency and savings of FiltaFry to a business’s refrigeration system.  FiltaCool filters are inexpensive and take up essentially no space in a cooler unit.  However, these filters do make a big difference.  By regulating the internal environment of a refrigeration unit, these filters prolong the life of perishable goods, increase equipment performance and reduce wear and tear on coolers.  As a result, kitchens save money on costly repairs and drastically reduce their monetary losses due to spoilage and waste.

The Filta Franchise

Filta franchises are easy to learn and easy to run.  Even with no prior experience in the field, Filta’s impressive series of classes and in-field training can turn a new owner from uninformed layman to competent fryer and cooler aficionado in just a few short weeks.  Because the business offers mobile, on-site services, it can easily be run from an owners home, making it an appealing option for would be owners who don’t have a lot of money to invest.  Not only does Filta offer low start-up costs and assistance with financing, the entire franchise operates at a very low overhead, making it easy to maintain.
The FiltaFry and FiltaCool services are both eco-friendly, making them very attractive to customers in today’s market.  Filta is so good at eliminating waste and inefficiency that in most cases the service actually pays for itself.  This makes Filta highly marketable in the food service industry and an attractive business option for those looking to start a profitable trade.

The biggest trend right now in business is going green- both a benefit to the environment and the budget, this trend is one that is showing no signs of stopping any time soon. This transition leaves many business owners a little stymied as to how to make the change without hurting their bottom line, but it is a vital change that in order to keep up with the trend, needs to be made. This isn’t just impacting those who own restaurants either- this trend stretches out over any business, but those who prepare food are also feeling the pinch of economic stresses, coupled with the pressures of needing a better way of doing things. Being able to combine a more Eco friendly way of doing things, with a better quality service, as well as keeping to a budget does not have to be as difficult as it may seem on the outset.

Some businesses have begun to sell reusable bags for shopping, others offer organic variations of the foods they serve, and others still yet are active in their communities- offering everything from recycling their own wastes to adopting stretches of roads for cleanup. But there is one often overlooked way to change the way you do business to a more environmentally conscious one, save money, time and even improve the safety of your staff. If you knew that it was as simple as a phone call to green your routine, would you do it?

That’s just what many have done. One area where improvements can be made to green up your routine that is often overlooked is the cooking oil. That’s right, that bubbling, boiling fryer can bring about a more socially acceptable impression to the public, save you money and make a powerful impact on the environment. Victor Clewes, CEO Of the Filta Group has known this for some time. Heading up an internationally known and recognized leader in environmentally friendly waste oil recycling and disposal, he offers this look at the benefits of recycling and reusing the cooking oil you’re already using in your line of work.

“The price of cooking oil, as a commodity, has sky-rocketed in the last year and the need for efficient operations has never been greater,” says Clewes, “Filtering and re-using cooking oil reduces oil purchases. Reduced oil purchases result in cost and waste savings. Then, when the oil can no longer be used for cooking, it becomes bio-fuel. Nothing is wasted. It’s used in the food we eat, then in the cars we drive. It becomes a net positive for the environment as well as a restaurant’s bottom line.”

This isn’t exclusive to those who are more environmentally conscious and already running a sort of green business- oh, no, many restaurants, hospitals, and basically anywhere that serves food and has good sense towards being able to lower their budget have adopted this greener way of doing things. It’s easy to see just how not having to replace oil would have a big impact- being able to bring in someone to recycle the oil is more important than ever.

For over a decade, Filta has been the leader in environmentally friendly and cost reducing kitchen solutions with its revolutionary approach to waste oil and fryer management. Always looking to improve the quality and scope of Filta services, the Filta Group unveiled its FiltaCool cooler management service in 2008. This exciting service brings to commercial refrigeration all of the increased sustainability and cost effectiveness that has made FiltaFry such a marked success. With the installation of Filta’s compact and inexpensive filters you can revolutionize the way that your business handles its perishable food items.

Combat Gases and Bacteria

As produce and other food items natural degrade they begin to give of Ethylene, Pectin and other gases.  Though naturally occurring, in an enclosed area like your cooler these gases build to a concentration that actually accelerates the decomposition of your foodstuffs.  FiltaCool filters trap these gases, preventing the early onset of decay that destroys your valuable products.  These filters have also been shown to dramatically inhibit the growth and spread of bacteria, as well as reducing oxidation in your coolers.

Regulating Humidity

Humidity is another real concern in commercial coolers.  Too little and  your fruits and vegetables become dry and shrunken, too much and your produce begins to rot more quickly.  Furthermore, excess moisture freezes on cooling coils, causing them to work less effectively.  Moisture pooling on the floor creates hazardous conditions for your staff and gives bacteria a place to breed rampantly.  FiltaCool can help regulate the humidity in your walk in coolers, providing just the right amount of moisture in the air to keep your produce crisp, fresh and ready for use.

Stabilizing Temperatures

If your coolers aren’t running efficiently, they may not be doing an adequate job in keeping temperatures stabile.  The optimal temperature for most perishable goods is between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit.  Temperatures above that range allow bacteria to breed freely.  Temperatures below can result in freezing and damage to your produce.  FiltaCool has been shown to reduce overall temperatures by 2 to 5 degrees and improve the performance of your coolers so that they can maintain the optimal temperature range more easily.

Eliminating Odors

Unpleasant odors can easily build in an enclosed space like your walk-in cooler.  Even worse, many vegetables can actually absorb odors, making them less palatable.  Excessive odor can also create an unpleasant work experience for your staff and suppliers.  FiltaCool filters reduce odors, leaving your coolers smelling fresh.

Lowering Costs
When your equipment’s wear, tear and energy use is lessened and the inhospitable climate in your coolers has been eliminated you can expect another drastic reduction:  a reduction in spending.  FiltaCool filters will help to eliminate 10% of the energy usage of your coolers and keep your cooling systems operational 33%-44% beyond their expected lifetime.  You will see at least a 2% deduction in the amount of spoiled produce you have to discard.  In many cases that percentage is significantly higher.  All this adds up to big savings for your business when you choose to use FiltaCool.

In the face of rising oil prices and global concern over the availability of fossil fuels, the biodiesel trend is steadily gaining favor amongst the automotive community.  Forward thinking companies that realize this emerging trend and seek to take advantage of the rising value of bio-fuels put themselves at a greater advantage in the developing marketplace.  “The global markets for biodiesel are entering a period of rapid transitional growth, creating both uncertainty and opportunity.  The first generation biodiesel markets in Europe and the US have reached impressive biodiesel production capacity levels, but remain constrained by feedstock availability. In the BRIC nations of Brazil, India and China, key government initiatives are spawning hundreds of new opportunities for feedstock development, biodiesel production, and export,”  assesses Will Thurmond, author of Biodiesel 2020 and Biofuels International columnist.

With increasing concern and a shifting focus toward sustainability, many companies are choosing to revaluate how they conduct business and the operational procedures of their franchises.   This is especially true in the food service industry, where waste has always been a necessary, albeit undesirable, evil.  Since its inception in 1996, Filtafry, an internationally renowned leader in environmentally conscientious kitchen solutions, has been helping the food service industry minimize waste and reduce energy usage.
“The price of cooking oil, as a commodity, has sky-rocketed in the last year and the need for efficient operations has never been greater,” states The Filta Group CEO Victor Clewes.   “Filtering and re-using cooking oil reduces oil purchases. Reduced oil purchases result in cost and waste savings. Then, when the oil can no longer be used for cooking, it becomes bio-fuel. Nothing is wasted. It’s used in the food we eat, then in the cars we drive. It becomes a net positive for the environment as well as a restaurant’s bottom line.”

The Filta Group originated as a waste oil and fryer maintenance service based out of the UK.  From its humble origins it has since grown to become a global leader in not only environmentally conscientious oil management, but has since expanded its eco-friendly efforts into cold storage with its FiltaCool line of products and service.
As more and more large corporate entities begin to embrace green business, many smaller businesses are beginning to follow suit.  Restaurant owners are starting to realize that the waste oil that was once a burden is rapidly becoming a marketable commodity and that getting in now will serve them well in the future.  “From 2008 through 2020, a series of transitions in the bio diesel industry will create winners and losers,” says Thurmond. “Bio diesel producers that are best able to evolve and adapt to transitions in technology, markets, feed stocks and government policies are most likely to succeed over the long term.”

As these trends continue, it becomes imperative for small businesses to pick up the banner of sustainability and green business.  Not only is their public pressure to do so, but as new means of conservation are struck upon, it becomes more and more apparent that availing oneself of them is the economically sensible thing to do.  Keeping current with emerging developments and finding ways to integrate more efficient and sustainable business practices is the only practical means of growth and development into the burgeoning biodiesel market.

Every day, more and more businesses are springing up that are geared towards the concept of environmentally friendly ways of doing things. More and more make headlines as they are seen as not following suit and that is something that really hurts- so, how can existing businesses cash in on the benefits of going green, and avoid the bad publicity that comes from not doing things in such an environmentally conscious way? Many have taken to finding better means of running their own establishments but still yet find themselves at a loss for how to continually improve the ‘green’ aspects.

Look no further than your coolers, refrigeration systems, and freezers. The first thing many people think about when they try to trim the fat in their budgets is generally waste and loss management in inventory. Being able to find ways to cut the loss of inventory but still yet continue to run a profitable business can be a tricky area for some, but it really doesn’t have to be. What if you had a way to not only reduce the amount of inventory related loss, but also save on things like energy bills and equipment replacement, as well as promoting a more environmentally friendly way of doing things?
You can and it is as simple as looking at the filtration system in your cooling units.

Humidity control is a huge problem for those with cooling units as a part of their business and many do not realize that in solving this problem, they may also have an option to run things in a much more environmentally friendly way. Most know that ice buildup can be a real problem and can cause higher energy bills and ruin food inventory- but also solving that problem is a Green step forward. The key in being more environmentally friendly is often seen in the slogan, “reduce, recycle and reuse”- and reduce is the area this applies to. The latest offering from the Filta Group is known as FiltaCool, and this comes in to save the day for many. Studies published by the company have shown that “FiltaCool increases equipment life on average, by 35%, while reducing energy costs by 10%.”
That helps your business, AND the environment, it’s certainly a win win.

FiltaCool’s innovative cooling system reduces humidity in cooling units- this works out well for several reasons. Uncontrolled humidity causes bacteria buildup, premature spoilage and higher electric costs, but at the same time maintains the amount of humidity that is needed within the storage unit. Coming from a franchise already well known for higher environmental standards, this is an intelligent solution and just one way you can take steps towards greening your routine, but also lowering your budget quite by quite alot. Being able to reduce your waste output, as well as your energy use, all combines to create a bigger picture of not only being a greener business but also, saving you money in these sometimes uncertain economic times.

Franchising is an increasingly popular option for entrepreneurs looking to invest in ownership.  Since it offers the benefits of beginning a new business with an already established name and successful business plan, it’s no wonder that more and more would-be owners are looking to hitch their wagons to already risen stars, rather than opting to go it alone.  However, not all franchises are created equally.  Taking the time to properly research your options to find a solid franchisor, such as the Filta Group, can really set you on the right path to financial success.

The Filta Group

Established in England in 1996, Filta has been just such a rising star, making its mark on the food service industry and rapidly becoming an internationally acclaimed name in the cooking oil and fryer management arena.  The Filta Group has forged this strong reputation by presenting businesses with a cost efficient, eco-friendly way to improve productivity and reduce waste.

In 2008 Filta improved their service with the addition of the FiltaCool line of cold-storage management service and products.  Filta has become widely associated with better, greener business, improved safety and big savings.  As Filta continues to grow, more and more aspiring business owners are beginning to catch wise to what a unique franchising opportunity this evolving franchisor offers.

The Filta Edge

The Filta Group offers franchisees a strong and uniquely tailored support base for their businesses.  Included with the introductory package into the Filta Family, a new franchisee is provided with in-depth classroom training to make sure that their franchise gets off to a great start.  Franchisees also spend a week in the field learning the ins and outs of running the business for an experienced Filta franchisee and trainer.

Each new franchisee is assigned a Business Development Manager who works alongside the franchisee in the field to establish a starting customer base.  The BDM will do everything within his/her power to ensure that a new Filta owner has a reliable source of revenue through the fledgling business before the owner ever sets out on his/her own.  The goal of the BDM is to see that any new franchise starts off with at least $500/week reliable income.

Filta Freedom

Filta franchisees experience a level of independence that many other franchisors never experience.  The mobile service is easy to manage and can easily be run from home.  Filta franchisees enjoy a low start-up cost and a business that runs on a very low overhead.  Franchising territories can be expanded as the business grows, adding more vans and staff to help accommodate your blossoming franchise.

If you are looking for a career where you can truly be your own boss and take charge of your financial destiny, the Filta may be right for you.  With two great services, FiltaFry and FiltaCool, and an easy means of conducting business, Filta can have you on the road to success in no time.
It’s easy to see why Filta has become such a rapidly growing and renowned business leader.

Current market trends in the latest environmentally friendly products and services soar as more and more businesses are seeking to not only cut costs, but promote a more Green way of doing things. Being able to boost your business with the reputation for your environmentally conscious way of doing things and cut your bills? It’s more likely than you may think and if you’re running a restaurant, or any place that serves and sells fried foods, look no further than the oil you use to cook with.

“The price of cooking oil, as a commodity, has sky-rocketed in the last year and the need for efficient operations has never been greater,” says Victor Clewes, CEO of The Filta Group, an international eco-friendly services company which specializes in cooking oil filtration and recycling. “Filtering and re-using cooking oil reduces oil purchases. Reduced oil purchases result in cost and waste savings. Then, when the oil can no longer be used for cooking, it becomes bio-fuel. Nothing is wasted. It’s used in the food we eat, then in the cars we drive. It becomes a net positive for the environment as well as a restaurant’s bottom line.” Wow. Those are pretty impressive words, but is there some truth to this?

You bet there is. Looking at the way that some businesses have made the change, you can definitely see that leaning towards a more sustainable business is the way to go, for any food service professional. But cutting the cooking oil cost is just one thing- what if your business was known, and really known for putting safety first? That’s a big plus, but also, that, too impacts your bottom line. Reporting low to average injuries, restaurants save at least 25 percent in insurance costs the Department of Labor and industries reports, but also, the Restaurant Insurance Cooperation shows that restaurants paid out on average, a total of nearly six thousand dollars a year on slip and fall injuries.

It sure would be nice if there was an alternative to all of those costs, some way to make sure that you were not only an Eco conscious business, but safer and saving money at the same time, wouldn’t it? There is. A Filtafry technician may just be your key to making going green your best investment towards going gold. The franchise itself has been a known leader in environmentally conscious services since the nineties, and hiring a technician to take care of your fryers and waste oil disposal needs is definitely one smart way to make sure that you, too work towards sustainability, safety and a better budget. Better yet, when you’re looking into Filtafry, ask also about FiltaCool, their latest offering which can save you up to 2,496 dollars a year over your current cooling and refrigeration bills. It’s amazing how just a few small changes to the way that you deal with your vegetable oil and your humidity control can make such a big impact on the way you balance your budget, so all in all, Filtafry is a definite winner.

A wise investor devotes a lot of time to research when looking into purchasing a franchise.  With so many options available, there are myriad considerations to be assessed and weighed when deciding which franchising opportunity is most offers a closest fit to your immediate business goals and long-term dreams.

The smart choice revolves around finding a business that offers a desirable service in an unsaturated market.  The Filta Group presents owners a just such an exclusive means of doing commerce.  Filta is a globally recognized leader in providing quality fryer and cooler management within the food service industry.  Franchisees find themselves in a unique position to offer a sought after service in a virtually untapped market.

A Global Leader

Since 1996, the Filta name has been an internationally recognized and respected in the food service industry.  Since its inception, FiltaFry has become well known for helping restaurant owners improve efficiency and save big money in their fryer operations.  Now with the addition of the FiltaCool line of service and products, that reputation has extended into the commercial refrigeration sector.

When you open a Filta franchise you launch your company with the comfort and satisfaction of knowing that you are offering a worthwhile and desirable service.  Your service will support owners of commercial kitchens in making their businesses more efficient and more environmentally friendly.  You will regularly assist owners of commercial kitchens in achieving their own financial goals in a mutually beneficial business arrangement.

A Service to Be Proud of

The FiltaFry micro-filtration service is proven to decrease cooking oil consumption in restaurants, oftentimes by as much as 50%.  Furthermore, the service you provide will increase a business’s energy efficiency and improve safety in the workplace, all while promoting greener, more environmentally friendly business practices.

The FiltaCool line brings all of the great benefits of FiltaFry to the arena of commercial coolers.  FiltaCool filter promote healthier and safer work environments, improve cooler efficiency and reduce wastage in both product and energy.  FiltaCool customers, on average, use 10% less energy in their refrigeration units will drastically reducing their losses due to spoilage.

The Filta Edge

Filta offers you the chance to run your own mobile business from home in a lucrative and marketable field.  With low start-up costs and low overhead you business can be making money right off of the starting line.  Filta will work alongside you to help you build a strong customer base and will stand behind you and your business with all the support you need to make your franchise a success.

Filta will provide you with all of the training necessary to operate and administrate your new franchise as well.  You will be given all of the tools you need to become a competent and knowledgeable professional, even if you’ve never worked with a fryer or been inside a walk-in cooler. If you are searching for a strong active investment with potential for a great Return On Investment, then Filta has the tools you need to realize your dream of franchise ownership.

As more and more ecological issues come to the front of business and franchising issues, many new franchisees are seeking out better means to do things. Working with various groups to find just the right fit for their business start up needs, as well as being able to still yet adhere to ecologically sound companies is important for the new entrepreneur. More often than not, a franchise may seem like a great idea, right up until you realize its impact on the environment. So who can you trust? Look no further than one of the franchises that has been around the longest, Filtafry. Offering a multiservice franchise with a great customer base on services that every community can use, this franchise has been the one to watch in the past ten years and beyond.

More Than Just a Business Model

For decades now, Filtafry has maintained a commitment to environmental excellence and is the undisputed leader in the environmental services industry, but also, for being a great steward of the eco friendly franchising movement. It has always been important to the company to find new and innovative ways to make sure that their franchisees are able to run their business smoothly, but also, in doing this they have managed to come up with a business model that really works and is good for the environment. By greatly encouraging the mantra of ‘reduce, recycle and reuse” in providing a valuable service to hospitality related business, restaurants but also pretty much anywhere fried foods are served the franchise has grown in leaps and bounds, taking franchisees with it.

Offering a continued commitment to not only the environment but to the success of each and every franchisee, Filta has made it clear that they do not plan to stop their growth any time soon and its growth is inevitable. Many franchisees find that through their own hard work, dedication and commitment as well as the astounding amount of guidance and support they receive through the training course and beyond, they are running their own businesses in no time.

Support and Growth

Given continued support to ensure their success, the franchisees start off on the right foot. Filtafry franchisees are given an extensive training, as well as continued support and education on what it takes to be a successful Filtafry franchise. As well, the initial equipment pack is complete- everything you need to start your own Filtafry business is included and a national marketing campaign also ensures that the name is well known. The Filta name’s been out there as an industry leader since 1996 and has a great reputation already, so this is just one more added benefit to franchising with Filta. In 2005, Filta was ranked number 33 in the Franchise Times top 55, and then, just last year jumped ahead to number 26 and shows no signs of stopping now. And why would they? In the growing trend towards environmentally secure franchises- Filta was indubitably one of the first, and a definite frontrunner in this much more sustainable way of doing business.

In 1996 Filta began changing the way that the food service industry does business through the introduction of its revolutionary approach to waste oil management via the FiltaFry services.  Prior to this it was common practice for a dinning establishment to simply run its fryers until the oil began to degrade, then dispose of the oil and start anew.  While changing out cooking oil is definitely a necessary part of fryer operation, a great deal of this discarded oil was not spoiled, it was merely saturated with carbon and other particulates accrued during use.  Almost half of the oil being discarded was done so unnecessarily!

FiltaFry realized this issue of vast waste in kitchen management and sought to change things.  Filta saw that there was a better way, a means of running fryers more efficiently and reducing the amount of oil used.  Beyond just managing and removing waste oil, Filta sought to change the way that the food service operated on a fundamental level that would not only save businesses money, but also reduce their impact on the environment.

The FiltaFry Solution

Far beyond a traditional waste oil removal service, FiltaFry actually seeks to reduce the amount of waste oil generated by a business.  This is done by means of a full-service fryer and cooking oil maintenance program.  Firstly, FiltaFry technician filter oils directly from a business’s fryers through an advanced micro-filtration system.  Filta’s special filtration equipment filters particles down to 2-3 microns, almost 100 times finer than the capacities of most factory installed fryer filtration systems.   This process is so thorough that it removes 99% of carbon and other contaminants from oil.  The end product is clearer, cleaner oil that can be used almost twice as long as the oils that are only filtered by the preinstalled filtration systems.  This means that FiltaFry users can expect to use half as much cooking oil in their businesses.
FiltaFry doesn’t stop there, though.  This comprehensive service reduces energy waste as well, by ensuring that fryers are thoroughly cleaned and running optimally.  Filta technicians work with management and owners to customize an energy saving plan specifically tailored to the needs of the particular establishment.  FiltaFry offers a comprehensive solution to increasing sustainability and reducing costs in frying.

FiltaCool Savings

In 2008 Filta extended their reach to the cooler.  Now all of the great benefits of Filta can be seen in a business’s refrigeration units as well.  FiltaCool utilizes unique filters specifically designed for the needs of commercial coolers.  These unobtrusive units regulate humidity, gases and temperature to keep produce fresh and crisp and to allow coolers to run more efficiently.  FiltaCool users create less waste, see a decrease in profit losses due to spoilage and on average see a 10% decrease in the amount of energy needed to run their coolers.
As Filta continues to expand its offerings, businesses can expect to see exciting new ways of increasing sustainability in their kitchens.  Filta remains dedicated to finding eco-friendly solutions for the food service industry and to saving their clients money.

Filta is an acclaimed global leader in the field of fryers and fryer oil management.  Since 1996 the FiltaFry service has been helping food service owners and managers run their fryers more efficiently.  FiltaFry creates a safer work environment for employees, drastically reduces waste and saves money for your business.  It’s easy to talk about saving money, but what do we really mean when we say that FiltaFry can help reduce your costs and increase your profits?

Oil Savings

The average restaurant uses approximately 10,000 pounds of cooking oil each year.  FiltaFry’s micro-filtration process eliminates 99 percent of contaminants that break down cooking oil.  This doubles the usable life of the oil, reducing the original disposal amount by 50 percent.
For example, a business running 3 separate 50 pound capacity fryers with moderate use will consume an average of 9 boxes of oil every week.  At an average $35 per box, this works out to a $315/week oil cost.  Calculate in a couple of hours of labor to change out oil (at $10/hour) and the total cost for this restaurant, just to keep the fryers running, is $335 per week.

With FiltaFry, oil lasts twice as long, so your business uses only half as much.  This same business would then use only 4.5 boxes of oil each week, for an oil cost of $157.50 per week (4.5 X $35 = $157.50).  Figure in the once a week FiltaFry average service fee of $67.50, and this business’s oil cost with FiltaFry totals only $225 each week.  That is a saving of $110 every week on oil and maintenance alone.  The FiltaFry service has already more than paid for itself.

Insurance Savings

However, the potential to save money doesn’t stop there.   FiltaFry’s specialized cleaning system takes the burden of taking care of your fryers off of the shoulders of your staff.  This means lower labor costs and a reduced risk of fryer related injuries.  You can see a dramatic decrease in employee slip and falls as well as a reduction in the instances of burn reports.
Every year restaurants pay out an average of $5,386 for slip and fall incidents.  With FiltaFry managing your fryers and keeping the area clean and free from hazardous materials, you can virtually eliminate these occurrences.  Furthermore, when a restaurant reports average or below average numbers of workplace injuries they are eligible to save up to 25 percent on insurance.  This can mean a savings of about $1,400 each year on insurance alone.

Commitment to Excellence

It’s easy to see just why FiltaFry has gained such a strong reputation in the food service industry for improving quality in the kitchen and helping businesses save money.  Beyond the simple fact that FiltaFry will lower costs in your restaurant, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are taking a big step toward greener business.  As an bonus, because your oil will stay cleaner and the foods fried in it will taste better.  Your customers will be happier, your staff will be happier and (most importantly) your bank account will be happier.

Since its inception, the concept of franchising has radically transformed the way that we look at and conduct business.  Franchising gives owners a significant leg up when undertaking a new business enterprise by providing an recognized brand name and service and the backing of a collective that is stronger than the individual owner could hope to be on his or her own.  Not surprisingly, as time goes on more and more aspiring business owners seek out reputable franchises, such as the Filta Group, as they seek to establish themselves in commerce.

The Filta Name
Part of what makes Filta such an alluring prospect to the potential investor is that fact that Filta can provide some exclusive rewards versus going it alone.  These benefits can undeniably improve your chances of succeeding in the industry.  The Filta network is second to none in providing support to ensure that its franchises succeed.

Why does Filta try so hard to help its franchise owners succeed with their businesses?  Filta views its franchisees as part of an ever growing, ever expanding Filta family.  What is good for the franchisees is good for Filta on the whole.  For that reason, Filta provides its new franchisees with every possible tool to shine in the industry of environmental kitchen management.

Filta will thoroughly train you in class, giving you everything you need to know to run your business.  Before you even fire up your van for your first service call, you will spend a week in the field with an experienced franchise owner and trainer who will teach you all of the intricacies of the Filta business.  A Filta Business Development Manager will work to establish local prospects, with the goal of starting your business with an already strong repeat customer base.  Once you get started, Filta is there to back you up with guidance and support through its toll-free lines and FiltaNet intranet service.

The Perfect Fit

When you own a Filta franchise, you can be confident that you are providing two quality and highly marketable services.  As a Filta technician you will be supporting food service organizations, helping them reach their goals of sustainability and saving them money.  You will be helping to increase workplace safety and improve product quality for each and every one of your customers.

The sky is the limit with your franchise.  Your mobile business can be run from anywhere, and your only limitation to the potential of your growth is your desire; whether you operate as a “man in a van” in your single territory, or expand to multiple territories, employing your own staff of technicians.  It’s all up to you just how far you want to take your business.

With the Filta Group you know you have the support of a company who is constantly growing and developing new ways for you to improve you service and reach new customers, increasing the financial potential of your business.  As Filta grows, so will your franchise.  Filta can help you realize you dream of successful business ownership.

You may have been considering buying a franchise as a sound business investment in your financial future. This choice comes with many questions and there is quite alot of information out there to be found about what sort of franchise you’d like to have as well as what needs to be done to get yours up and running smoothly and efficiently. Being able to look at some of the insider secrets is a great way to find out if the world of franchise ownership is in fact for you. We’ll take a look at how one company is encouraging franchisees to make the very most of their businesses and what they’ve done to succeed.

A Widely Used Service

Filtafry franchises have been going strong since the beginning in 1996. First formed in the UK, the business found that it was soon growing too big and decided to begin franchising. From the start, something was clear- this was a service many people really could use. But what is that service? Think about the food you eat. Now, think about all of the restaurants and places of business that supply that food and what do they all have in common? That’s right, they all use oil for the fryers to make the food that they serve. On a weekly and sometimes biweekly basis, those fryers need a good cleaning and maintenance, and then, the used up oil has to go somewhere. Well, Filtafry franchise owners take care of this problem. So, the key to the business is basically in how valuable the service actually is. Building a client base is as easy as a one hour demonstration showing how much more efficient it is to utilize Filtafry’s microfiltration system and then, have the technician cart away the waste.

A Name That is Trusted

Many huge names in hospitality are already in on the secret that you as a potential franchisee may be just starting to come around to. Remember those restaurants you thought about in the last paragraph? Which names spring to mind? Dunkin Donuts, Applebees, Emory School of Medicine, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and Holiday Inn are just a few of the well known names that already rely on the trustworthiness of the Filtafry name- so why shouldn’t you? Having a name that is known, respected and trusted backing you is one more way that helps to balance the scales in favor of your success with a Filtafry franchise. Not only that, look around, even in the initial presentations from the Filta Group when you’re looking around for information- their success stories speak for themselves and give you an inside peak at what may be in store for you.

Once you bring your own brand of passion and drive to the table, and a willingness to really give it your all, you will find that a Filtafry franchise just may be the step towards that financial stability you have been hoping to find. With continual support and training, a Filtafry franchise really is a wise choice in your financial future.

Since breaking into the US franchising market in 2002, Filta has been taking the nation by storm. A unique company in and of its own right, Filta has also continued to make progress and makes great strides in enhancing the already valuable service. Already known as a leader in the environmentally friendly business sector, Filta seems to continue to strive to maintain the standard of quality and environmentally sound way of doing things, as well as finding newer and more innovative means to implement that very business strategy.

It is hard to believe that such a small improvement in restaurant cooling systems could make such a big impact, however, the FiltaCool system offers big changes and takes up very little space. The Filtafry technician attaches a small filter box to the refrigeration unit, offering businesses a new way to keep the humidity down in cooling facilities which offers many benefits.

Still living up to the Filta standard for eco friendly quality the small, lightweight box goes into the refrigeration and cooling unit and begins to work its magic. However, it is not by magic that it works, the secret is first in the way that it minimizes bacteria and corrosive gasses. These tend to hasten the ripening of food, and that leads to earlier rot and waste for restaurant owners. In slowing that down, food waste is prevented, but also, food is more palatable for a longer period of time- making this a benefit to the customers as well.  Enabling businesses to be able to waste less, use less and to be able to save on not only inventory cost, but energy costs also lowers prices to the customers they serve in reducing the overhead.

The impact of excessive humidity is well known amongst those in the hospitality and food service industry- the equipment has to run longer, and use more energy. So, in controlling humidity there is the bigger benefit of not only having cleaner running equipment that is better maintained, but also yet another way Filta continues to provide services that are not only extremely useful to businesses, but good to the environment as well. Cold storage need not be an energy intensive part of businesses every day running any longer, and the added benefit of food that tastes better, longer is definitely cutting back on inventory related losses to those business owners.

Forging ahead into newer ways of making the business even more environmentally friendly, Filta continues to roll out advancements and ways of doing things that are showing more and more that it does not have to be expensive or time consuming to adopt greener ways of doing things. Filtacool is just one small example of the many different, environmentally friendly things the franchise has implemented in the way that they do things, and is a great benefit to any establishment that utilizes refrigeration and cooling in their business. It seems that as more and more are embracing better ways of reducing their own carbon footprint, Filta has been doing so and seems quite intent to continue to bring better options in running more environmentally friendly businesses to the table.

Rapidly gaining ground as a strong market, the bio diesel trend is gaining ground at a steady pace. Bio diesel 2020 author Will Thurmond said, “The global markets for bio diesel are entering a period of rapid, transitional growth, creating both uncertainty and opportunity. The first generation bio diesel markets in Europe and the US have reached impressive bio diesel production capacity levels, but remain constrained by feedstock availability. In the BRIC nations of Brazil, India and China, key government initiatives are spawning hundreds of new opportunities for feedstock development, bio diesel production, and export”. Companies that keep their focus towards more environmentally friendly ways of doing things have certainly got an edge, this being the case.

Growing sustainability concerns are bringing about vast changes in the way that many businesses and franchises are doing things. Filtafry, a known leader in environmentally sound food service technology has not lost sight of that, since its inception in 1996.
“The price of cooking oil, as a commodity, has sky-rocketed in the last year and the need for efficient operations has never been greater,” says Victor Clewes, CEO of The Filta Group, an international Eco-friendly services company which specializes in cooking oil filtration and recycling. “Filtering and re-using cooking oil reduces oil purchases. Reduced oil purchases result in cost and waste savings. Then, when the oil can no longer be used for cooking, it becomes bio-fuel. Nothing is wasted. It’s used in the food we eat, then in the cars we drive. It becomes a net positive for the environment as well as a restaurant’s bottom line.”

The Filta Group began its foray into the world of more sustainable efforts in the UK, and since has become a worldwide leader in offering a better way for businesses to do things as well as an opportunity for franchisees to also jump on this trend. With larger companies also beginning to trend towards this, small business owners, from franchisees to food service industry are finding that getting in now is a wise choice. “From 2008 through 2020, a series of transitions in the bio diesel industry will create winners and losers,” said Thurmond. “Bio diesel producers that are best able to evolve and adapt to transitions in technology, markets, feed stocks and government policies are most likely to succeed over the long term.”

Now more than ever, it is vital to align oneself as a business owner with more environmentally friendly standards and practices. Sustainability also invests a great deal in the economic status of the business itself, bringing about a much more cost effect means of the way that some are looking at the way they handle waste vegetable oil and its disposal, but also the way that overall business is conducted. Keeping abreast of the changes, but also beginning to integrate better ways of maintaining more sustainable business practices is not only a practical step, but one that is going to help not only US markets, but global markets take the most advantage in the rise in bio diesel use.

Franchising has become a mainstay of industrialization.  It offers business owners a significant leg up when staring a new venture by providing an established brand name and service, backed by a strong network of support.  It’s no wonder that more and more investors seek out reputable franchisors when looking into establishing their own businesses.  Finding a reliable franchisor like the Filta Group, which shows a strong trend toward development and offers  franchisees the opportunity to offer a valuable service in a growing market can start you out on the path to success.
What Does Filta Offer?

Owning your own Filta franchise can provide some unique rewards when compared to going into business independently.  These benefits can easily tilt the scales in your favor, providing you with a much greater chance of financial success.  The Filta Group offers its franchisees a strong support network that is second to none and geared toward giving owners every resource to make their mobile Filta franchise a winner.

Filta wants its franchisees to do well.  On the surface, what is good for the franchise is good for the franchisor, but beyond that Filta views its franchisees as an ever expanding family and wants to see that family flourish.  To that end, Filta provides its new franchisees with all the tools necessary to excel in the field of environmental kitchen management service.

From day one of your new business you will be provided with class room and infield training from experienced Filta professionals and other franchise owners.  A Filta Business Development Manager will work with you to teach you the skills needed to market your business and will help you establish an initial customer base.  Filta also offers long term continued support through its toll-free lines and online with FiltaNet.

Filta and You:  A Winning Combo

As you have undoubtedly discovered, while researching prospective franchisors:  not all franchising organization are created equal.  When deciding if a franchisor is suitable to your needs as a business owner it is very important to consider just what level of support the franchisor gives its franchisees and how much freedom they allow.  Filta offers a balanced blend of autonomy and support is virtually unparalleled.

Filta gives investors the chance to run a mobile based business providing two quality and highly marketable services.  As a Filta technician you will be helping food service organization reach their goals of sustainability and loss prevention by changing the way they approaching frying and refrigeration.  You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are providing a service that helps reduce the negative impact of the food service industry on the environment.  You will be helping to improve workplace safety and product quality for each and every one of your customers.

With the Filta Group you know you have the backing of a company who is constantly on the lookout for new ways to positively impact the way commercial kitchens do business.  As Filta grows, so will your business.  Together Filta and you can make a difference in your community, in the environment and in your personal business goals.

A wise investor devotes a lot of time to research when looking into purchasing a franchise.  With so many options available, there are myriad considerations to be assessed and weighed when deciding which franchising opportunity is most offers a closest fit to your immediate business goals and long-term dreams.

The smart choice revolves around finding a business that offers a desirable service in an unsaturated market.  The Filta Group presents owners a just such an exclusive means of doing commerce.  Filta is a globally recognized leader in providing quality fryer and cooler management within the food service industry.  Franchisees find themselves in a unique position to offer a sought after service in a virtually untapped market.

A Global Leader

Since 1996, the Filta name has been an internationally recognized and respected in the food service industry.  Since its inception, FiltaFry has become well known for helping restaurant owners improve efficiency and save big money in their fryer operations.  Now with the addition of the FiltaCool line of service and products, that reputation has extended into the commercial refrigeration sector.

When you open a Filta franchise you launch your company with the comfort and satisfaction of knowing that you are offering a worthwhile and desirable service.  Your service will support owners of commercial kitchens in making their businesses more efficient and more environmentally friendly.  You will regularly assist owners of commercial kitchens in achieving their own financial goals in a mutually beneficial business arrangement.

A Service to Be Proud of

The FiltaFry micro-filtration service is proven to decrease cooking oil consumption in restaurants, oftentimes by as much as 50%.  Furthermore, the service you provide will increase a business’s energy efficiency and improve safety in the workplace, all while promoting greener, more environmentally friendly business practices.

The FiltaCool line brings all of the great benefits of FiltaFry to the arena of commercial coolers.  FiltaCool filter promote healthier and safer work environments, improve cooler efficiency and reduce wastage in both product and energy.  FiltaCool customers, on average, use 10% less energy in their refrigeration units will drastically reducing their losses due to spoilage.

The Filta Edge

Filta offers you the chance to run your own mobile business from home in a lucrative and marketable field.  With low start-up costs and low overhead you business can be making money right off of the starting line.  Filta will work alongside you to help you build a strong customer base and will stand behind you and your business with all the support you need to make your franchise a success.

Filta will provide you with all of the training necessary to operate and administrate your new franchise as well.  You will be given all of the tools you need to become a competent and knowledgeable professional, even if you’ve never worked with a fryer or been inside a walk-in cooler. If you are searching for a strong active investment with potential for a great Return On Investment, then Filta has the tools you need to realize your dream of franchise ownership.

Air relative humidity impacts the lifespan and overall quality of many refrigerated products. A lower relative humidity can be the cause of too much evaporative moisture loss from unwrapped produce and goods, which can cause quality defects as well as the premature spoilage of the produce and inventory itself. Higher relative humidity often causes microbiological growth, resulting in a great deal of bacterial problems. This can also lead to problems with condensation causing ice to form- both bad for your power bill and horrible on storage boxes made of paper and cardboard. However, a new product by the Filta group is changing the way that some food service professionals think about their cooling systems. As the economy gets a bit tighter and food prices go up, often the question is, “How can I prevent loss and spoilage in my food service business to cut my budget woes?” Making a few smart choices can do just that.

Many already know of the Filta Group from its flagship enterprise Filtafry, a microfiltering service that prolongs the lifespan of cooking oil and then disposes of the same oil once it has reach the end of its use, but are unaware that the newer product, FiltaCool is also a beneficial service. Think about it, as a food service owner, you likely spend about 30% of your overall budget on inventory- what if there was a way to prolong the life of your produce, prevent premature spoilage, increase safety and make your cooled storage facilities much more energy efficient?

Ramin Foramarzi, the Project Manager of Southern California’s Edison Refrigeration and Thermal Test Center has said in a statement, “If you can improve energy consumption you’re essentially improving profit margin.” and he is not wrong. Those who are already using the FiltaCool service have noted a great reduction in relative humidity, but also, have seen a drastic improvement in their running costs and repair and maintenance of the cooling units themselves, which makes for a powerful, winning combination.

The small box is virtually unnoticed in cooling units and refrigeration systems, but offers as Filta is known for, an environmentally sound means of reducing relative humidity and keeping a stable, healthy level. In doing this, the units have to run less in cool down time, but also avoid having to defrost as often which not only lowers the power bill but packs a powerful punch when it comes to the impact on the machine itself.

Though the economy is at times uncertain, many smart business owners are finding that in adapting to these changes by making the inventory that they have stretch longer, careful maintenance of their own equipment and making a few small changes such as having a Filtafry technician take care of both their fryers and their cooling units each week makes a big difference in their bottom line and saves them a great deal of money. Also, in having the technician come in, reduced risk of injury in both respects makes this a great option for those who are ready to take the next step in a more sustainable business plan.

There’s a bit of a buzz when it comes to the new options in Green franchises these days, but a few people are still a little unclear on what exactly is meant by Green Franchise- and who is Filtafry, what do they do? How are they Green? Firstly, what is meant by Green franchise or business is that it is better for the environment than typical business as usual. Many restaurants, hospitals, and schools are looking into ways to green their routine as well and that is right about where Filtafry comes in.

If you are running a Filtafry franchise, you’re taking a step in the right direction in running a more Eco friendly business, yourself- but some, like Richard Hamilton, a franchise owner in Arkansas actually runs his business van on the biodiesel created using the waste he’s paid to dispose of. You’ve heard the mantra ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’- well, Hamilton’s taking it to new heights with his own franchise. But also, the benefits seen in the businesses are astounding. Due to the micro filtration process the oil goes through- it lasts longer. Alot longer. In most cases, a 50% oil disposal drop is seen. If you’ve ever had to deal with vegetable oil disposal on a larger scale, you know that in and of itself is pretty impressive- but then, the business owners have someone to get rid of the oil for them at the end of its cycle. This prevents things like improper disposal and dealing with the regulations that sometimes happen in this particular area of waste disposal.

The process is really very simple. Using vacuum based cleaning systems, a Filtafry technician comes out on a weekly or biweekly basis, checks the temperature and advises on proper temperature resets if needed. Then, the oil is removed by the filtration machine, and filtered while the fryer is cleaned with the vacuum based filtration system, removing debris and that gunk that can often settle on improperly cleaned fryers. I think we’ve all gotten that random, odd crunchy thing in our fries- well, this prevents that as well as making the food taste better and those random bits and particles are gone. Once this is all done, the filtered oil is then returned to the fryer- much cleaner and better than it was before, usually greatly surpassing the fryer’s own build in filtration system if it has one.

In addition to all of this, the fryers are kept not only cleaner, but much better maintained as Filtafry technicians are the Gurus of Grease, and they know their fryers much better than most people do. So, if you’re reading this as a restaurant owner, you may be asking yourself where has this van been all your life? And if you’re looking to start a business of your own, it’s clear this is a service that you can definitely rely on to make a stable and steady income.

One of the key ingredients to successful restaurant management is constantly seeking out new ways to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs for the business.  One often overlooked area of waste and mismanagement lies in fryer operation.  This simple area of daily use can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars each year in wasted cooking oil and excessive energy use.  Fortunately, FiltaFry offers commercial kitchens a simple and effective way to minimize waste in frying, saving businesses hundreds of dollars every year and improving the quality of their fried foods.

Taking the Burden Off of Staff

Anyone who has spent any time at all working in the food service industry knows that fryer maintenance, especially the task of cleaning and switching out cooking oil, is one of the least desirable tasks that fall to kitchen staff.  As such, it is the job most likely to be delegated to the inexperienced new staff member (often a teenager working for minimum wage).  These staff members are, more often than not, less than motivated to do an adequate job at the task, nor do they fully realize the importance of proper fryer and oil management.

When you use FiltaFry, the burden of fryer management is taken off of the shoulders of your staff and your fryers are placed in the hands of a competent professionals who’s top concern is making sure you are getting the most out of your fryers.  FiltaFry technicians are highly trained and skilled in the area of fryer maintenance.  They will evaluate your businesses setup to find the optimal usage of your fryers to help reduce energy waste and to help extend the life of your cooking oil.

Unsurpassed Technology

Undoubtedly your fryers have factory installed filtration units.  Unfortunately, these filters offer only minimal filtration capabilities.  Though skimming your oil regularly is an important part of maintaining your oil, it is not enough to get the most from your investment.  Factory installed filters do not filter out the microscopic contaminants that ultimately degrade your oil, making it unusable.

FiltaFry technicians use an advanced micro-filtration system to filter the oil directly from your fryers.  This sophisticated filtration technique eliminates up to 99% of particulates, such as miniscule carbon fibers that break off from foods and burn in the oil.  Over time, this tiny particles (as small as 2-3 microns in size) render your oil unusable long before it’s time.  With FiltaFry filtration, your oil will last twice as long, vastly reducing your oil usage.

What This Means for Your Business
If your establishment uses fryers on a daily basis, then you already know just how expensive keeping them running can be.  Imagine what it would mean to your business to be able to use half as much oil as you do currently.  That’s a tremendous savings.  If you add on savings from less frequent fryer repairs, reduced energy usage and even money you can save on insurance by reducing the number of fryer related injuries you report, the money you can save adds up rapidly.  FiltaFry is your one-stop answer to reducing wastage and saving money in your restaurant’s kitchen.

It’s easy to see how the flexibility and ease associated with running a Filta franchise makes it an appealing prospect to the savvy investor.  However, since running a Filta business is such an intensive and hands-on operation, it behooves us to take a closer look at just what being the “man in the van” entails.  What can you really expect from your Filta experience?

FiltaFry

Every Franchisee provides the essential FiltaFry Service to customers in his or her territory an average of one to two time each week.  However, the actual performance of your business hinges largely on your effort, dedication and the enthusiasm that you bring to the job.  After all, it is your business and no one is going to motivate you to succeed other than yourself.  It is up to you whether you do 4 service calls in a day, or push yourself to do 8.  Only you can decided and in the end is you who benefits most from putting in that extra effort to maximize your business’s potential.
Most people are drawn towards going into business for themselves by the strong feeling of independence.  Business ownership allows you to take control of your destiny.  More importantly it allows you to take total control of your finances.
The FiltaFry service charge is calculated by the amount of oil that is to be filtered for a given location.  Accordingly, the value of each job varies somewhat, but the average service charge per call is $66.85, serviced either once or twice a week.  At 8 calls per day, 5 days per week that works out to around $2674 each week less expenses.  As your business grows you may consider expanding to a multi-van operation.   The potential to increase profits (allotting for the costs of hiring on another technician) is great.  Additional techs may be trained by you if you have been authorized, or can be trained by Filta.
Since it’s your business, you are free to work the hours you choose.   However, the smart franchisees will quickly realize that some hours are more profitable than others.  Lunchtime is usually a rushed and hectic time for most restaurants, thus not a good time to make a service call.  On the other hand, early afternoon calls to establishments such as schools, colleges, offices and hospitals can be quite profitable.

FiltaCool

Your business may also provide the FiltaCool service, if your customers desire to see savings in their coolers systems as well.  FiltaCool panels may be leased from Filta.  These panels are simple to install and are exchanged every 3 months.  You “de-gass” the panels at your personal convenience at your home office.  These panels are then ready for re-use either at the same location or at another business.  The average customer employs the use of 6 panels at $12 per panel per month – roughly $72 per customer each month.
Hopefully this has given you a little bit of a clearer view as to what you might expect from owning a Filta Franchise.  As you can see, there is definitely some significant money to be made in this business.  However, don’t be fooled into thinking it comes without effort.  As with most things in life, you get only in proportion to what you are willing to put in.

In the face of rising oil prices and global concern over the availability of fossil fuels, the biodiesel trend is steadily gaining favor amongst the automotive community.  Forward thinking companies that realize this emerging trend and seek to take advantage of the rising value of bio-fuels put themselves at a greater advantage in the developing marketplace.  “The global markets for biodiesel are entering a period of rapid transitional growth, creating both uncertainty and opportunity.  The first generation biodiesel markets in Europe and the US have reached impressive biodiesel production capacity levels, but remain constrained by feedstock availability. In the BRIC nations of Brazil, India and China, key government initiatives are spawning hundreds of new opportunities for feedstock development, biodiesel production, and export,”  assesses Will Thurmond, author of Biodiesel 2020 and Biofuels International columnist.

With increasing concern and a shifting focus toward sustainability, many companies are choosing to revaluate how they conduct business and the operational procedures of their franchises.   This is especially true in the food service industry, where waste has always been a necessary, albeit undesirable, evil.  Since its inception in 1996, Filtafry, an internationally renowned leader in environmentally conscientious kitchen solutions, has been helping the food service industry minimize waste and reduce energy usage.
“The price of cooking oil, as a commodity, has sky-rocketed in the last year and the need for efficient operations has never been greater,” states The Filta Group CEO Victor Clewes.   “Filtering and re-using cooking oil reduces oil purchases. Reduced oil purchases result in cost and waste savings. Then, when the oil can no longer be used for cooking, it becomes bio-fuel. Nothing is wasted. It’s used in the food we eat, then in the cars we drive. It becomes a net positive for the environment as well as a restaurant’s bottom line.”

The Filta Group originated as a waste oil and fryer maintenance service based out of the UK.  From its humble origins it has since grown to become a global leader in not only environmentally conscientious oil management, but has since expanded its eco-friendly efforts into cold storage with its FiltaCool line of products and service.
As more and more large corporate entities begin to embrace green business, many smaller businesses are beginning to follow suit.  Restaurant owners are starting to realize that the waste oil that was once a burden is rapidly becoming a marketable commodity and that getting in now will serve them well in the future.  “From 2008 through 2020, a series of transitions in the bio diesel industry will create winners and losers,” says Thurmond. “Bio diesel producers that are best able to evolve and adapt to transitions in technology, markets, feed stocks and government policies are most likely to succeed over the long term.”

As these trends continue, it becomes imperative for small businesses to pick up the banner of sustainability and green business.  Not only is their public pressure to do so, but as new means of conservation are struck upon, it becomes more and more apparent that availing oneself of them is the economically sensible thing to do.  Keeping current with emerging developments and finding ways to integrate more efficient and sustainable business practices is the only practical means of growth and development into the burgeoning biodiesel market.

In 2008 The Filta Group unveiled its newest line of energy efficient kitchen solutions.  The addition of FiltaCool products and services opens up a whole new way for commercial kitchens to decrease waste, increase energy efficiency and save money.  FiltaCool brings all of the innovation and savings that made FiltaFry an internationally recognized name in fryer and oil management to the arena of cold storage.  Now the same van that brings you valuable savings and benefits for your fryers can help you save big and improve the quality of your cold foods as well.

Regulating Humidity

Humidity is a real problem in coolers.  Too little humidity leaves your perishables dry and shrunken.  High levels of moisture destroy your perishable foodstuffs by breaking down cellular integrity.  When moisture ices on cooling coils, the work less efficiently, resulting in higher temperatures and longer defrosting cycles.  Moisture can also create slippery and unsafe conditions as well as create a breeding ground for bacteria.  All this means more energy usage and more rapid spoiling of your food items.   FiltaCool can help regulate the humidity in your walk in coolers, making them more efficient and increasing the lifetime of your perishable goods.
Temperature

Allowing temperatures to get too high in your cooler accelerates bacterial growth which increases the rate of food spoilage.  Temperatures too low can freeze and damage your products, leaving them unusable and increasing your profit losses.  Maintaining the optimal temperature (between 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit) can be difficult with inefficient coolers.  FiltaCool can help improve cooler function so that your cold storage unit can more easily maintain ideal temperatures.

Odor Control

Odors are easily transmitted between perishables stored together.  No one wants their produce to smell like poultry.  Your customers certainly don’t want it.  Excessive odor can also make coolers unpleasant for employees and suppliers.  With FiltaCool, noisome smells can be reduced, leaving your cooler and perishables smelling cleaner and fresher.
Gases and Bacteria
The natural processes that break down foods can increase when contained to an enclosed space.  Factors such as bacteria, oxidation, Ethylene gases and Pectin gases can accelerate food spoilage.  While these processes are naturally occurring and cannot be entirely eliminated, they can be greatly reduced.  FiltaCool filters can help control the level of gases in your cooler and create a less active breeding ground for bacteria.

Cool Savings

As customers have come to expect of Filta products and services, FiltaCool offers a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution to cooler maintenance and regulation.  Using FiltaCool in your cold storage units will help to regulate moisture, keep temperatures stable, decrease odors, gases and bacteria and keep your units running for effectively and efficiently.  Your business will save money by using less energy.  Many customers report as much as a 10 percent reduction in the energy required to operate their cools when using FiltaCool in their cold storage units.   Businesses also save big by disposing of less spoiled products.  Your perishable foods will last longer and taste better.   FiltaCool brings to your coolers all of the quality service and savings that have made the Filta name great.

Franchising offers a wide range of appealing benefits for the hopeful entrepreneur looking to invest and grow a business.  However, it’s never wise to leap before you look, and the smart investor weighs the merits of each potential franchisor before making any final decisions.  Some franchisors offer more autonomy, some  offer more solid business plans and greater support, and others offer a greater return on investment and lower start-up costs.  Few, however, offer the special blend of freedom, support and financial ease that is afforded franchisees of The Filta Group.  So just what does Filta have to offer a potential business owner?
Strong Business
Since 1996 Filta has been making waves in the food service industry, quickly becoming an internationally recognized name in the cooking oil and fryer management arena.  Filta has built this strong reputation by offering business an environmentally friendly way to improve productivity and efficiency while saving money, first with the outstanding FiltaFry service, then in 2008 with the addition of the FiltaCool cold-storage management service and products.  Filta has become widely associated with better, greener business, improved safety and big savings.
Strong Support
Filta offers franchisees a solid support base for their businesses as well.  As part of any introductory package into the Filta Family, a new franchisee is provided with comprehensive in-field training, as well as in-depth business training to make sure that their franchise gets off to a great start.  Each new franchisee is also provided with a Business Development Manager who will work alongside the franchisee in the field during the initial setup stages of the new business.  The BDM will not only work to help train the new owner is business and marketing strategy, but will actually work with the franchisee to establish a regular, recurring customer base.  The BDM will do everything within his/her power to ensure that a new Filta owner has a reliable source of revenue through the fledgling business before the owner ever sets out on his/her own.
The strong support does not end after the new business is established either.  Filta proudly offers ongoing advice and support.  Anytime a franchisee needs a hand, Filta is there via its toll-free number to lend assistance.
Strong Customer Base
Because of the types of services that a Filta Franchises offers they are able to rely on a relatively small customer base to supply repeat business.  FiltaFry customers include hotels and resorts, restaurants, airports, fast food outlets, hospitals, schools, sports venues and grocery stores – anywhere foods are fried.  FiltaCool extends support to all those venues as well, plus any other market that utilizes cold-storage, such as convenient stores and florists.  Furthermore, because each franchise is given and exclusive territory, there is no fear of in-house competition.
Strong Flexibility
Filta franchisees experience a level of freedom that many other franchisors do not.  The mobile service can easily be run from home and is simple to administrate.  Start-up costs are low, as are stock and overhead expenses.  Franchisees have the option of growing their businesss and adding more vans to meet the needs within their territories or even to expand to new ones.
Filta offers aspiring business owners the ability to find their economic success in an exclusive niche providing two great services:  FiltaFry and FiltaCool.  The strength of the business, the great support of the Filta Family and the ease of doing business all make these an attractive option to potential owners.  It’s easy to see how Filta can help a prospective entrepreneur reach his or her business goals.

It’s easy to see how the flexibility and ease associated with running a Filta franchise makes it an appealing prospect to the savvy investor.  However, since running a Filta business is such an intensive and hands-on operation, it behooves us to take a closer look at just what being the “man in the van” entails.  What can you really expect from your Filta experience?
FiltaFry
Every Franchisee provides the essential FiltaFry Service to customers in his or her territory an average of one to two time each week.  However, the actual performance of your business hinges largely on your effort, dedication and the enthusiasm that you bring to the job.  After all, it is your business and no one is going to motivate you to succeed other than yourself.  It is up to you whether you do 4 service calls in a day, or push yourself to do 8.  Only you can decided and in the end is you who benefits most from putting in that extra effort to maximize your business’s potential.
Most people are drawn towards going into business for themselves by the strong feeling of independence.  Business ownership allows you to take control of your destiny.  More importantly it allows you to take total control of your finances.
The FiltaFry service charge is calculated by the amount of oil that is to be filtered for a given location.  Accordingly, the value of each job varies somewhat, but the average service charge per call is $66.85, serviced either once or twice a week.  At 8 calls per day, 5 days per week that works out to around $2674 each week less expenses.  As your business grows you may consider expanding to a multi-van operation.   The potential to increase profits (allotting for the costs of hiring on another technician) is great.  Additional techs may be trained by you if you have been authorized, or can be trained by Filta.
Since it’s your business, you are free to work the hours you choose.   However, the smart franchisees will quickly realize that some hours are more profitable than others.  Lunchtime is usually a rushed and hectic time for most restaurants, thus not a good time to make a service call.  On the other hand, early afternoon calls to establishments such as schools, colleges, offices and hospitals can be quite profitable.
FiltaCool
Your business may also provide the FiltaCool service, if your customers desire to see savings in their coolers systems as well.  FiltaCool panels may be leased from Filta.  These panels are simple to install and are exchanged every 3 months.  You “de-gass” the panels at your personal convenience at your home office.  These panels are then ready for re-use either at the same location or at another business.  The average customer employs the use of 6 panels at $12 per panel per month – roughly $72 per customer each month.
Hopefully this has given you a little bit of a clearer view as to what you might expect from owning a Filta Franchise.  As you can see, there is definitely some significant money to be made in this business.  However, don’t be fooled into thinking it comes without effort.  As with most things in life, you get only in proportion to what you are willing to put in.

he Uniform Franchise Offering Circular-Franchise Disclosure Document, or the UFIC/FDD is a document that you will be reading at least ten days before you sign any contracts with a franchisor. Why? Because they have to provide it. Any information that you are going to need to know about the franchise itself will be contained within this document- it will go into the various fees, marketing, royalties, yes, but also, will outline any procedures they have in place for the running of the franchise itself, and the training and support offered, and much, much more.
On your UFIC/FDD, you should see the following sections:

•The Franchisor, Predecessors and Affiliates
•Business Experience
•Litigation
•Bankruptcy
•Initial franchise fees
•Other Fees
•Initial Investment
•Restrictions and Obligations on Products and Services
•Franchisee’s Obligations
•Financing
•Franchisor’s Obligations
•Territory
•Trademarks
•Patents, Copyrights and Proprietary Information
•Participation Obligation
•Restrictions on Goods Sold
•Renewal, Termination, Transfer and Dispute Resolution
•Public Figures
•Earnings Claims
•Outlets
•Financial Statements
•Contracts
And lastly,
•Receipt

These forms usually all come together in a packet before you sign the contract, more often than not- the franchisor will discuss them with you as well. In some states, franchises may have to be registered with the state, in others not, but, all have to conform to the standards set about by the Federal Trade Commission and all will have this package for you to go over, to look through and to understand clearly- it is your responsibility to ensure that you do read through this and make sure that you are aware of everything that it entails and to clarify the areas that you don’t, as soon as possible to make the entire process go much more smoothly. If there are parts of the documents you receive that you are unclear on, in any way, you do have the right to ask, and also, this is a smart business move, setting the stage for more open communication and understanding of your position as a new franchise owner.

Have your financial adviser go over each section with you earnestly, and ask any questions about anything that you do not understand. When you feel like you’ve got a clear picture of exactly everything that a franchise has to offer you, then you can seek out the areas where you might have a little room to negotiate- some franchises will be open to this, others will not, so you have to be clear on what you can and cannot do in regards to that. Typically, a decent franchise attorney will be able to help you on that front, but also, usually the franchise itself will be able to tell you if things are negotiable. The larger the franchise, however, the less likely this is to be the case- so, you’ll want to do your homework on that front as well.

This can all look a bit intimidating on the outset- it’s a great deal of information to take in, but do remember that this is their business, and it’s about to become yours as well.

Running a successful business isn’t easy, even under the best of circumstance.  When you encounter those inevitable bumps on the road to success it can be disheartening and more than a little bit frustrating.  However, there are steps you can take with your Filta franchise to help improve your chances of success.  Here are a few areas to mull over as you evaluate your Filta business and look for ways of improving your earnings.

Marketing Your Business

For many, marketing is the toughest part of running a business.  Most of us simply aren’t marketing whizzes.  In fact, for most of us getting out there and making the calls to new potential clients is a little bit terrifying.  However, this is an absolutely crucial element for success.

During your training, you worked with a Business Development Manager who helped you establish a customer base and taught you some of the basics of marketing.  That’s great, and hopefully you took a lot away with you from the experience, but don’t stop there.  Take it upon yourself to constantly improve your sales skills.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from Filta and from your peers.  Also don’t be hesitant to look for outside marketing coaching, either through seminars, books or even instructional videos.

Push Yourself

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that since you are your own boss you can play fast and loose with your schedule.  Nobody is going to make you do the work you need to do to be really successful.  It is up to you to motivate yourself.  Allowing yourself a few days off “just because” can be a good thing on rare occasion, to help you reboot.  However, it is all too easy to let such laxness become habitual.

Your Filta franchise is your investment.  It is you who benefits most if it succeeds and suffers most if it fails.  Since this is a very hands-on business, the only way to maximize the return on your investment is to really put in the hours.  Don’t be satisfied with 6 calls in a day when you could be doing 8.  In fact, don’t ever be satisfied period.  Keep pushing yourself to do better and to do more and you will see your financial returns soar.

Use Your Resources

As a Filta owner, the Filta Group makes a number of very useful resources available to you to help you along the way.  However, Filta can only make these resources available to you, they cannot make you avail yourself of them.  If you are feeling stuck and aren’t asking for help, either on FiltaNet or through the toll-free line, then you’ve got no one else to blame but yourself when you eventually become overwhelmed.

If you aren’t using FiltaNet regularly then you are really cheating yourself out of an invaluable source of information.  There is no easier way to research your potential customers or to gain practical advice from other Filta owners who have already overcome exactly the same obstacles as you are facing.  Remember, you are in business for yourself but not by yourself.  Use your available resources and never be afraid to ask for help.

One needs only pick up a paper or turn on the television to see that man’s impact on the planet is no longer a debatable issue.  The question is no longer, “Do we need to change?”  Now the question on everyone’s lips is, “What can we do to save our world?”

As more and more consumers pick up the banner of environmentalism, industry follows suite, looking for ways to lessen their environmental impact and present a “greener” face to the world.  The food-service industry is in no-wise exempt from the growing expectation of consumers for environmentally conscientious business practices.  The Filta Group understands this growing concern and offers the FiltaFry solution to help restaurant owners not only to their parts to help save the planet, but to also save themselves money.

Reducing Waste Oil

Every day restaurants across the country generate thousands of gallons of waste oil.  While there have been significant advances in the areas of recycling and reusing waste oils, there is still no better remedy than to simply use less cooking oil.  FiltaFry cooking oil management not only makes this possible, but makes it a very practical measure.

How it Works

FiltaFry oil processing works by clarifying cooking oils using an advanced micro-filtration system.  This process removes carbon and particulate matter, leaving cooking oils clearer, cleaner and longer lasting.  As a result, the oils your restaurant uses in its fryers will last up to twice as long and also taste much better.

Having a FiltaFry technician clean your oil and maintain your fryers at least once a week has been demonstrated to reduce cooking oil loss in restaurants by an average of 50 percent.  The environmental impact of using half as much oil is obvious.  Even more obvious is the impact on your budget.  It’s the very definition of “win-win”.

Boosting Your Efficiency

FiltaFry doesn’t just put an end to waste in your fryers, either.  It also reduces energy waste by keeping your fryers running optimally at all times.  Filta technicians can assist your restaurant’s managers in finding ways to eliminate waste in frying procedures and will establish the optimal settings to maximize the efficiency of your fryers.  Improper frying techniques cause thousands of kilowatt hours of energy wastage in this country every day.  Improper heating, wasteful filling techniques, unnecessary heating during downtime, incorrect loading and myriad other issues cause immeasurable waste.

FiltaFry will help you identify and correct these uneconomical misuses.  You will see increased savings on energy while furthering your goals toward more environmentally friendly business.

As more and more people begin to embrace the movement to “go green” and to lessen our damaging effects on the environment, it has become clear that those who continue to demonstrate wasteful excesses will fall out of favor with the public and will fall behind in the marketplace.  FiltaFry can help keep your business on the cutting edge of the environmental trend, while helping you save big money in the kitchen.  Going green has never been easier or more beneficial.

Perhaps you are an investor looking for a hands-on business that offers you the chance to own a business in a relatively untapped market with a high potential for growth.  Maybe you are in a dead-end job, looking for a change, and are contemplating the realities of being your own boss in a career that allows you to really take control of your financial future.  Whatever your business goals, the Filta Group can help you reach them through Filta Franchise ownership.
What is Filta?

Filta started out over a decade ago as a small waste oil and fryer management service in the U.K.  Since that time it has become an internationally acclaimed name in kitchen management.  In fact, it has been named in Franchise Times list of top growing franchises 3 years running.
Since its inception as a small British oil management service, Filta has since grown to incorporate commercial refrigeration management as well.  As Filta continues to grow, it continues to find ways to save its customers money and improve the businesses of its franchisees.  So just what is it that has made Filta such an overwhelming success?

A Highly Marketable Product

One of the biggest benefits that Filta owners enjoy is the simple fact that they are providing a desirable and highly marketable service.  The FiltaFry and FiltaCool services are so effective at reducing waste and improving workplace efficiency in commercial kitchens that using the service more than pays for itself.  When restaurant owners see what Filta has to offer and what it can do to cut their operational costs, the decision to become weekly customers is almost a no-brainer.  Often a simple demonstration of the Filta services is enough to change the tune of even the most hardened and pessimistic restaurant owner.

How Does Filta Save Restaurants Money?

Filta offers two great money saving services to customers.  The FiltaFry service provides sophisticated micro-filtration of cooking oil used in commercial fryers.  This extremely effective filtration process removes up to 99% of particulate matter from oil.  These contaminants are too small to be filtered out by the factor installed oil filtration systems of most commercial fryers.  This particulate matter is what degrades and ruins oil, making it unusable.  As a result of FiltaFry filtering, oil lasts twice as long and most customers see their oil usage drop by 50%

The newer FiltaCool service brings much of the same savings benefits of FiltaFry to the cooler.  FiltaCool filters take up almost no space in a cooler and are very simple to install.  However, they make a huge difference.  They regulate humidity, eliminate odors, trap harmful gases and limit bacteria growth.  As a result coolers run more efficiently and produce and other food items last longer.  Businesses that use FiltaCool filters in their coolers cut their food costs by as much as 10%.  It is easy to see how these two services more than pay for themselves, on top of the other obvious benefits.

Filta and You

Filta franchise are completely mobile, which means you can run them easily from the comfort of home.  They are relatively inexpensive to start up, and operate at a low overhead.  This makes Filta an ideal business opportunity for the first time business owner, or anyone who is looking to invest in a career.  Regardless of your situation, Filta can help you meet you financial goals and realize your dream of business ownership.

Filta Group Wins National Agreement With Starwood Hotel Chains For Commercial Kitchen Fryer Maintenance and Cooking Oil Micro-Filtration.

Effective immediately, Starwood Hotels and its numerous brands, which include Sheraton, Westin, W, LeMeridien, and The Luxury Collection, have endorsed the FiltaFry service to hundreds of corporate owned and managed facilities engaging in food production.

The decision to use Filta’s cooking oil micro-filtration and fryer management service came after the completion of a three month trial in the Boston area which resulted in a 37% cost saving for the Starwood Hotel facilities involved. Starwood agreed to the national service contract after considering Filta’s impact on both their bottom line and their commitment to green initiatives.

The practice of cooking oil micro-filtration dramatically reduces the environmental impact of any commercial kitchen operation. Oil micro-filtration increases the amount of time fryer cooking oil can be used before disposal, while providing the added benefits of better tasting food, and reduced liability due to a reduction in possibility of grease burns.

Restaurant industry analysts are consistently beginning to recommend external management of fryer operations as a best practice for large and small food preparation services. The advantage of reduced liability and cost, coupled with the increasing trend of incorporating green initiatives, is a combination that excites management teams.

Filta President Jason Sayers remarked on the new contract as, “a great opportunity for Starwood Hotels and our franchisees alike. We are able to help a major corporation improve operational efficiency and improve on the already substantial offerings new and current franchisees receive as support to grow their businesses.”

Filta has placed themselves in a unique position in the franchise marketplace. They are the only established franchise that falls into the categories of three of the hottest upward trending industries by growth for franchise operations. Falling in the categories of, mobile franchise, green franchise, and cost reduction is definitely not hurting Filta franchisees. Its operations have seen double digit growth in business continually, year over year, with no signs of slowing. These impressive numbers are reminiscent of the late 90’s and earlier this decade when the cellular phone industry went gangbuster as people discovered the benefits of the new technology. The reality is that most of the potential market cap for the cooking oil filtration industry still does not even realize an oil micro-filtration service like FiltaFry exists. Filta Franchisees are taking advantage of this fact all over the country. According to Filta President Jason Sayers, one out of every two on sight demonstrations results in a new long term client. To find out more about benefiting from Filta’s new agreement with Starwood Hotels, and other major customers, contact them for information about procuring a franchise and exclusive territory in your area.

Busy owners of fast food establishment know, that one of the biggest complaints and causes of insurance related losses happens right there by the fryer. Instances of burns, slips and falls and other injuries due to an improperly cleaned or maintained fryer cause a great stress on the budget of any restaurant – and some have looked into other options for this often complained about task.

When looking into the costs, you might be saying to yourself, “But I only pay my employees X amount” and it would cost me more than that to hire some outside help. Not so, actually, when you consider the cost of replacing poorly maintained fryers. Throw in the cost of injuries, and the hassle and time of hiring on new employees and training- suddenly, the cost does not seem to be all that comparable.

Next, let’s look into the cost of constantly replacing the oil! It gets pretty pricey and then when you weigh all of that against what it may cost to hire outside help like a Filtafry technician, things start to look a little less stacked against that

How Would That Help Me? This works in many ways – first, let’s look at the most obvious. In the much shorter time it takes for the technician to maintain your fryer, the hourly wage you would have spent balances with that. Secondly, no employee involvement, means less chance of burn injury. Running a fast food business, you know that the teens you hire aren’t always as careful as they should be and that can really bite you when the insurance for those injuries hits. Lastly – the secret’s in the oil. Replacing oil constantly from poorly cleaned fryers adds up over time. When having a filtafry technician come out and filter your oil cuts your use by a half in many cases! Think of the money you are saving, there. Properly cleaned and maintained fryers also last much longer and perform much better, in addition to producing much better tasting food

In addition to this, you don’t have to figure out what you’re going to do with the oil when it has reached the end of its use. The same technician that’s been cleaning it comes, drains it and takes it away – and even better, this is an environmentally friendly option which is something I know that many of us are striving for, as well

In short, balancing all the pros and cons of hiring on a Filtafry technician versus having your own employees do it actually makes more sense. Less chance of injury, less mess, and less downtime on your fryers are just a few of the benefits, but also, the fact that you are doing something great for the environment just makes it that much more beneficial. The truth is, if you look at the bottom line, utilizing a local filtafry franchise just makes much more sense.