Amidst the bustling traffic, an electric vehicle is doing the rounds stopping at restaurants, cloud kitchens and hotels to collect cooking oil that cannot be used anymore — in fact, dangerous to human health if it were pressed into cooking duty any longer.
Founded by Vasanth J.B., Venkateshwaran S., and Srindhi B. in 2020, Uranus Oil Company is partnering with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in this work; and is collaborating with bio-diesel plants, only those registered under FSSAI.
It has a giant footprint in Chennai, having born as a startup in this metro, and according to Vasanth, also has a foot gently planted in a few states across India, carrying out operations there with the help of channel partners.
“We are a young company driven by the goal of promoting sustainability and a circular economy across the country,” says Vasanth. “We focus on used cooking oil (UCO) because it is not only widely available but also a hazardous waste when reused and consumed by humans. We collect UCO from star hotels, restaurant chains, government canteens, universities, and many food businesses and aggregate it. We have an ambitious target in mind, but we are working hard to reach it. We aim to hit 40 tons per day soon,” he adds.
The process
First, customers reach out to Uranus Oil Comopany; and they are assigned a dedicated team. Next, representatives contact the customer to assess if they have a steady supply of used oil. If they do, they are entered into the company’s database and partnership program and provided with a safe used cooking oil kit and storage container.
After the oil is collected hygienically at the customer’s location, payment is made. The UCO is then stored in clean, well-ventilated tanks before being sent to partnered biodiesel manufacturers who convert it into biodiesel.
This business also fosters entrepreneurship among youth.
“We identify regions to promote entrepreneurship among young people. Many aspiring entrepreneurs want to create a sustainable livelihood, and we offer them the opportunity to collect UCOs. This not only provides them with a revenue stream but also builds a positive ecosystem. They collect and supply UCOs to us, while we handle compliance and transfer the oil to biodiesel manufacturers. Currently, we have over 150 young entrepreneurs running localised drives and collaborating with us,” Vasanth explains.
“For our operations, we exclusively use electric vehicles to minimize fossil fuel usage, further aligning with our commitment to sustainability,” adds Vasanth.
They are accredited by FSSAI, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), and have applied for ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification). Their team consists of a mix of young tech enthusiasts and experienced professionals.
Uranus Oil’s collection process focuses on gated communities and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to ensure efficiency. “We have established partnerships with apartments and RWAs where a designated member oversees the collection process,” explains Vasanth. The electric vehicle does not head to individual houses for collecting used cooking oil.
For UCO collection, call +91 7338944419 or email ruco@uranusoil.com.
Published – January 27, 2025 11:03 am IST