FatHopes Energy expands global feedstock-supply network through strategic partnership with UCO Trading
FatHopes Energy announced July 22 that it has taken a significant step towards strengthening Malaysia’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply chain by entering into a strategic partnership with Spain-based UCO Trading, an international renewable feedstock specialist that has supplied more than 5 million metric tons of certified waste-based feedstocks to the global biofuels industry since its establishment in 2013.
Formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the partnership establishes UCO Trading as FatHopes Energy’s strategic global sourcing partner for used cooking oil (UCO) and other eligible second-generation feedstocks.
Leveraging UCO Trading’s extensive international sourcing network, the collaboration will support FatHopes Energy’s growing feedstock requirements for SAF production while strengthening supply-chain resilience, traceability and long-term supply security.
The collaboration comes at a pivotal time for the aviation industry.
As governments and airlines accelerate their decarbonization commitments, global demand for SAF continues to rise while access to certified waste-based feedstocks remains one of the sector’s greatest challenges.
Industry leaders increasingly recognize that scaling SAF will depend not only on refining capacity but also on securing long-term, diversified and fully traceable feedstock supply chains.
Founded in 2013, UCO Trading has established itself as a trusted international trader of waste- and residue-based feedstocks for the renewable fuels industry.
Operating through its businesses in Spain and the United States, the company sources approximately 500,000 metric tons of feedstock annually through a network of more than 150 collectors and regional aggregators across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Its compliance-led operating model is built around International Sustainability and Carbon Certification System GmbH-certified chain-of-custody, rigorous supplier due diligence and comprehensive traceability systems, ensuring feedstocks meet the stringent sustainability requirements of renewable diesel, biodiesel and SAF producers worldwide.
Under the partnership, UCO Trading has committed to supporting FatHopes Energy’s long-term feedstock requirements of more than 200,000 metric tons per year through its global sourcing network, subject to definitive agreements and project milestones.
Rather than relying on a single sourcing region, the collaboration will leverage diversified supply channels across the Americas, Europe and predominantly Asia, enhancing supply security while mitigating regional supply risks to meet FatHopes Energy’s natural supply shortfalls for its existing clients and the feedstock requirements of its refinery.
The partnership will also explore opportunities to strengthen logistics coordination, certification frameworks and supply-chain integration to support the long-term growth of renewable fuels production.
“This partnership represents an important milestone in strengthening international feedstock connectivity for the global SAF industry,” said Luis Poch Rodrigo, the CEO of UCO Trading. “As demand for sustainable feedstocks continues to grow, collaboration across international markets will be essential to building resilient and scalable supply chains. Through our global sourcing network and commitment to compliance and traceability, we look forward to supporting FatHopes Energy’s long-term growth and the wider development of the SAF industry in Southeast Asia.”
Vinesh Sinha, CEO of FatHopes Energy, added, “The future of SAF will be shaped by those who can secure reliable, sustainable and fully traceable feedstock at scale. UCO Trading has built an impressive global sourcing platform with deep expertise in compliance, supply-chain integrity and certified feedstock procurement, making them an ideal strategic partner as we continue expanding our international network. Luis and I have known each other since the early stages of our respective businesses, and despite growing our companies in different regions of the world, we have remained connected, sharing ideas and supporting each other’s growth. This partnership feels like a full-circle moment. Our shared experience at Harvard Business School has also provided a common foundation, strengthening our mutual understanding and underpinning a relationship built on trust and shared values.”
According to FatHopes Energy, the MOU marks an important step towards strengthening global feedstock connectivity for the renewable fuels industry, bringing together FatHopes Energy’s regional expertise with UCO Trading’s international sourcing capabilities to help build resilient, sustainable and scalable supply chains for the future of SAF.
