MUNCY — Susquehanna Mills Co., positioned at 349 Village Street, began out as a biodiesel firm within the early 2000s, making gas out of waste cooking oil, and is now a regional cooking oil firm that providers various universities and eating places with a cooking oil recycling program, in addition to makes cooking oil to promote immediately on their web site.
The curiosity in making this high-quality cooking oil got here from a query from a pal.
The pal requested Joshua Leidhecker, proprietor, if he may cook dinner a turkey within the oil he was making for his enterprise, and the remaining is historical past.
“It result in determining the place this oil comes from…we collected the oil and took it there (to cook dinner),” Leidhecker stated. “I purchased a bunch of books to study what the variations are and found out easy methods to refine my enterprise and get the oil into situations that eating places would have the ability to use it.”
Yearly the enterprise has expanded their operations in a technique or one other — from getting extra information to much more tools and enterprise companions.
As we speak, they serve 17 universities from native to as far south as Baltimore, from Lycoming School and Bucknell College to the College of Pennsylvania and Princeton — however each element is regional to Central Pennsylvania.
The packaging is from Berwick, retail bottles are made in Hazleton and Leidhecker’s neighbor in Jersey Shore makes the cardboard containers.
“Past the distinctiveness (of the top quality cooking oil), our dedication to actually using and supporting the assets in our area makes us particular,” Leidhecker stated.
“Our tagline is native, sustainable, superior,” April Line, particular tasks supervisor, stated.
With their college companions, Susquehanna Mill Co. provides them the oil, and takes their waste oil to then upcycle it into biodiesel gas, making it “full circle oil recycling.”
Sadly the continued COVID-19 pandemic had a unfavorable monetary impression on the enterprise.
“Within the spring when it first occurred, we had misplaced all of our school accounts,” Leidhecker stated.
However as eating places and universities start to ramp up operations, issues are slowly beginning to come again, in accordance with Leidhecker.
This yr, the enterprise hopes to proceed their involvement with native meals scenes, particularly in Williamsport and Montoursville farmer’s markets, with the hopes to develop to Lewisburg.
“We wish to develop our attain to assist the small entrepreneur,” Leidhecker stated. “We are attempting to work and enhance, and likewise work with the town to make it a vacation spot spot on Saturday mornings.”
He added that this yr the enterprise can also be engaged on an agri-tourism strategy to their advertising and marketing whereas additionally having small occasions like a spring pageant at their store.
“There’s a native provide of oil within the Susquehanna Valley,” Leidhecker added. “This useful resource is offered to everybody…we encourage you to spend your {dollars} domestically and assist native households. We’re very happy to serve you.”
