ABP Renewables Division, Olleco, has been granted a royal warrant by the Queen of England. Olleco operates a “closed loop” supply chain to supply the royal household with cooking oils and fats.

The closed loop in this case reduces carbon miles by using the return journey to take back used cooking oils. These are then processed at Olleco’s bio-refinery to create biodiesel.

Warrants are awarded as a mark of recognition to people or companies that have regularly supplied goods or services to members of the Royal Family for at least five years.

"This is a huge honour and we are delighted and proud to be recognised for our service, helping the royal household to tackle climate change,” Robert Behan, CEO of Olleco, said. “If we are to achieve the UN’s goal of keeping global warming below 1.5°C, every household, community, organisation and nation in the world has to change the way they operate."

Olleco has a network of 19 sites across the British Isles to supply a number of food and hospitality brands. The company supplies fresh oils and fats and takes back used oils, it also collects food waste, which is then converted to renewable energy and fed back into the national gas and electricity grids.

Image by Paul Michael Hughes

Olleco was formed by ABP Food Group in 2006.

Closed loop

The Glanbia-Kepak dairy calf to beef club known as the Twenty20 club includes a "closed loop" supply chain. All inputs to rear the calves in the group, such as fertiliser and meal, must be sourced from Glanbia.

This was questioned at the Oireachtas agriculture committee meeting on Tuesday this week. TDs asked whether it was anti-competitive to lock farmers into this closed loop.

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