Starting in the late 1920’s and continuing through the 1950’s, John Kostelac Sr. and his sons ran large stock farms. Food waste was collected from local restaurants and hotels, and then cooked in huge tanks. Grease was skimmed off and made into soap. The remaining material was used to feed their hogs.
With the introduction of state restrictions forbidding the feeding of food waste to animals, the Kostelac brothers converted the operation into a rendering company that processed used restaurant grease and animal by-products. As time went on, dead stock and hide processing was discontinued in order to concentrate on grease recycling.
Company trucks collect used cooking oils and fats from restaurants and other institutions within a 200-mile radius of the St. Louis Metro area. For 55 years, drums were used to collect the raw material. In the mid 1980’s bulk tanks were introduced, thereby replacing the drums. Currently, 95% of our customers utilize our bulk/sani-tank system. After processing the used oils and fats, the finished product is shipped to various animal feed companies. It is then blended with other high-energy protein products as an ingredient for animal feed. Also, some of the finished product is used in the making of bio-diesel and other consumer goods. Our finished products include bleachable fancy tallow, yellow grease, brown grease and meat & bone meal.
For environmental and public health reasons, our company also pumps and cleans grease traps. It is extremely important to keep fats, oils and grease (FOG) out of the sanitary sewer system. Kostelac Grease Service will meet your restaurant grease trap needs.
John Kostelac III and Jim Kostelac are presently operating Kostelac Grease Service.
