New Hesburger, Neste collaboration takes circular-economy approach

Fryer oil from 300 Hesburger restaurants will be collected and converted into renewable diesel, which will then power its transport trucks. (Photo: Heikki Salonen)

Renewable diesel producer Neste Corp. and Finnish restaurant chain Hesburger announced a collaboration in which used cooking oil from more than 300 Hesburger restaurants in Finland and in the Baltics will be collected and converted into renewable diesel by Neste, which will then power Hesburger’s transport vehicles in Finland.

“We reduce our emissions by investing in plant protein products and energy efficiency, and by planning our transports effectively,” said Heini Santos, communications manager at Hesburger. “Recycling and the circular economy have also been important focal points in the development of our activities, and this circular economy collaboration with Neste is a perfect match with our aims. Every year, our restaurants in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania produce up to 420 tons of used cooking oil, which is collected and transported as ecologically as possible. As the used cooking oil is collected by trucks delivering goods to the restaurants, it will not result in extra mileage,” Santos said. Heidi Peltonen with Neste said, “This circularity collaboration with Hesburger is a concrete example of how collaboration can improve sustainability.”