What Darling Ingredients Inc. does

Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR), headquartered in Irving, Texas, and founded in 1882, is the world's largest publicly traded rendering and circularity company, operating across three reporting segments: Feed, Food, and Fuel. The company transforms more than 16 million metric tons of animal by-products, used cooking oil (UCO), and food waste annually into over 350 ingredients, processing 15% of the world's animal by-products through 260+ facilities in 15+ countries on five continents, and is led by Chairman and CEO Randall C. Stuewe (since 2003) with approximately 16,000 employees globally. The Feed segment supplies fats, proteins, and minerals for animal nutrition, pet food, fertilizers, and renewable-fuel feedstocks, anchored by DAR PRO Solutions' 60% North American UCO collection market share across 200,000+ commercial kitchens and a fleet of nearly 2,100 service trucks.

The Food segment (Rousselot, Sonac, CTH, Hepac, EnviroFlight) produces gelatin, collagen peptides, natural casings, heparin, meat proteins, and black soldier fly larvae ingredients, holding approximately 30% global gelatin/collagen market share across 16 factories and 80+ countries, and recently received US Patent No. US12636339 for Nextida GC, a specialized collagen peptide targeting post-meal blood glucose regulation. The Fuel segment is anchored by Diamond Green Diesel, a 50/50 joint venture with Valero Energy that produced approximately 1.2 billion gallons of renewable diesel in 2024 across the Port Arthur, Texas facility (470M-gallon nameplate, ~50% convertible to sustainable aviation fuel) and benefits from IRA 45Z production tax credits of up to $1.00 per gallon plus monetization agreements totaling approximately $175 million.

Darling operates a B2B sales-led go-to-market with long-term commercial relationships across industrial customers in rendering, food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, renewable fuels, and foodservice, while also leveraging event-driven investor relations. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with revenue earned through processing fees, product sales, JV equity earnings, and per-collection service contracts for UCO and grease trap services. Active strategic moves include the December 2025 signed definitive agreement to combine Rousselot with Tessenderlo Group's PB Leiner into a new 85/15 collagen JV (Nextida), a ~$120 million stalking-horse bid for three Potense Group rendering facilities in Brazil, the divestiture of majority trap-grease assets to Waste Resource Management, and ongoing DGD SAF market development with Avfuel.

Name

Darling Ingredients Inc.

Legal name

Darling Ingredients Inc.

Website

https://darlingii.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Darling Ingredients (NYSE: DAR) is the world's largest publicly traded rendering and circularity company, transforming animal by-products, used cooking oil, and food waste into animal nutrition, food ingredients, and renewable diesel/SAF across 260+ facilities in 15+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Ingredients and Renewable Fuel Manufacturing

NAICS

Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing (311613), Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Edible Offal & Organ Processing (Liver, Heart, Tripe; Food-Grade) (AFANAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bio-based Animal Feed Ingredients & Nutrition Co-products (e.g., DDGS, protein meals, yeast) (EUAAAIAI), Edible Animal Fats Rendering & Refining (Tallow, Lard) (AFAKAEAF), Animal-Derived Edible Fats (Tallow, Lard, Butterfat/Ghee) (AFAJALAE)

Keywords

• Animal rendering services
• Renewable diesel production
• Gelatin and collagen ingredients
• Used cooking oil collection
• Animal feed ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Feed Segment Revenue: The Feed segment generates revenue through the collection and processing of animal by-products and used cooking oil (UCO) into fats, proteins, and mineral ingredients for livestock feed, aquaculture feed, pet food, and fertilizers. Revenue is derived from processing fees and product sales to animal nutrition companies, pet food manufacturers, and agricultural customers. North America's largest UCO collector with 60% market share supports this stream.
2. Food Segment Revenue: The Food segment generates revenue from the sale of gelatin, collagen peptides, heparin, natural casings, meat proteins, and lard specialties to food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, nutraceutical producers, and biomedical companies. With approximately 30% global market share in gelatin and collagen and 16 factories across the world, this segment produces over 350 sustainable ingredients. Revenue from collagen products represents 77% of segment sales.
3. Fuel Segment — Renewable Diesel and SAF: Through the Diamond Green Diesel 50/50 joint venture with Valero Energy, Darling Ingredients produces and sells approximately 1.2 billion gallons of renewable diesel annually from low-carbon feedstocks including used cooking oil and animal fats. The segment also produces sustainable aviation fuel. Revenue is earned through Darling's 50% interest in DGD, with the facility's fuel sold primarily in California (Low Carbon Fuel Standard compliance market), Canada, and Europe. Production tax credits of up to $1.00/gallon under the Inflation Reduction Act's 45Z credit support economics.
4. Fuel Segment — Bioenergy and Biogas: Ecoson and Rendac brands generate revenue from converting food waste, animal waste, and animal fats into renewable electricity and biogas. Ecoson produces approximately 142 GWh of renewable electricity annually (equivalent to ~53,000 households) and 9 GWh of biomethane (~6,000 households). Revenue comes from electricity and gas sales to grids and industrial customers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland.
5. DAR PRO Solutions — UCO Collection Services: DAR PRO Solutions generates revenue by collecting used cooking oil and meat by-products from over 200,000 commercial kitchen customers across 90+ U.S. facilities, using a fleet of nearly 2,100 service trucks. Services include automated collection containers, grease trap cleaning, and inedible meat waste collection. Revenue is earned through service contracts and per-gallon or per-pickup fees, with collected UCO routed to Diamond Green Diesel for renewable fuel production.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Darling Ingredients transforms animal by-products, used cooking oil (UCO), and food waste into valuable ingredients through rendering, separation, anaerobic digestion, and renewable fuel hydrotreating processes. The company operates three segments — Feed (animal nutrition, fertilizers, UCO collection), Food (gelatin, collagen peptides, heparin, natural casings), and Fuel (renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, biogas) — selling more than 350 sustainable ingredients across 260+ global facilities to industrial customers in agriculture, food manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and renewable energy markets.

Product overview

Darling Ingredients Inc. is a world leader in circularity operating across three business segments: Feed, Food, and Fuel. The company transforms materials from the animal agriculture and food industries into essential ingredients including animal nutrition, fertilizers, gelatin and collagen products, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel. The portfolio includes 17 major brands spanning 260+ global facilities, with Diamond Green Diesel (50/50 joint venture with Valero) producing 1.2 billion gallons of renewable fuel annually, Rousselot commanding approximately 30% global market share in gelatin and collagen, and DAR PRO Solutions as North America's largest used cooking oil collector. Recent strategic moves include the planned 2026 closing of a joint venture with Tessenderlo Group combining Rousselot and PB Leiner collagen businesses, and the patented Nextida GC collagen peptide launch for metabolic health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• North American Rendering: Darling Ingredients U.S. and Canada rendering operations collecting and processing animal by-products and used cooking oil.
• Diamond Green Diesel
• DAR PRO Solutions
• Rousselot
• LARU
• Vada
• FASA
• Sonac
• Miropasz
• Ecoson
• Rendac
• Nature Safe
• Bakery Feeds
• CTH
• Hepac
• EnviroFlight
• Global Ceramic Materials

Products and services

• DAR PRO Solutions Used Cooking Oil Collection

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 80% fewer lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Waste Resource Management (WRM)minorOthers · 13 May 2026Waste Resource Management entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the majority of Darling Ingredients' trap grease collection and processing assets. The acquisition expands WRM's footprint into 13 U.S. metro markets and strengthens its position in high-growth metropolitan statistical areas. The transaction represents Darling divesting a portion of its trap grease business to WRM while retaining some assets.
• Potense GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Darling Ingredients was identified as the stalking horse bidder for 3 rendering facilities from the Potense Group in Brazil (the second-largest rendering company in Brazil), at an expected acquisition cost of approximately $120 million. Closing was anticipated for later in Q1 2026. This would expand Darling's South American rendering footprint.
• Distriboi (Brazilian Tallow Supplier to DGD)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Diamond Green Diesel sourced beef tallow from Brazilian rendering factory supplied by slaughterhouse operator Distriboi. From 2023 to 2025, DGD imported 15,000 tonnes of tallow from Brazil. This supply chain relationship has been the subject of environmental investigation regarding deforestation linkages in the Amazon, with Diamond Green Diesel's UK SAF shipments also implicated.
• Tessenderlo GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025Darling Ingredients and Tessenderlo Group signed a definitive agreement to combine their collagen and gelatin segments into a new joint venture company. Darling holds 85% ownership and Tessenderlo retains 15%. The new company integrates Darling's Rousselot brand with Tessenderlo's PB Leiner business, generating approximately $1.5 billion in initial annual revenue with about 200,000 metric tons of production capacity across 22 facilities spanning South America, North America, Europe, and Asia. The combined entity will control roughly 30% of the world's collagen supply. Pending regulatory approvals, closing is expected in 2026.
• National FFA OrganizationminorOthers · 16 September 2025Darling Ingredients partnered with the National FFA Organization to support the next generation of agricultural leaders through its Blue Jacket Program and community engagement initiatives. The company is proud to support FFA's mission to lead and inspire young agricultural professionals.
• Avfuel CorporationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 December 2024Avfuel Corporation took the first delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced by Diamond Green Diesel's Port Arthur, Texas facility. Avfuel, a leading aviation fuel distributor, distributes SAF to business and commercial aviation customers, including Naples Aviation at its eastern U.S. facility. The delivery marks a milestone for DGD's SAF production, with approximately 50% of the facility's 470 million gallon annual nameplate capacity converted to SAF production.
• Valero Energy CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) is a 50/50 joint venture between Darling Ingredients and Valero Energy Corporation, one of the world's largest independent petroleum refiners. DGD is the world's only vertically integrated renewable diesel producer, with Darling supplying low-carbon feedstocks (animal fats, UCO) through its Feed segment and Valero providing refining and distribution infrastructure. DGD operates the Port Arthur, Texas facility with 470 million gallon annual nameplate capacity (expandable to 1.2 billion gallons), producing renewable diesel and SAF. The JV has been operating since 2013 and expanded significantly following the Inflation Reduction Act's 45Z tax credit.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Neste: World's largest producer of renewable diesel and SAF from waste-based feedstocks. Direct competitor to Diamond Green Diesel in renewable fuel end-markets and competing for the same low-carbon feedstock supply pool.
• Tyson Foods: Largest US meat processor with significant rendering/animal by-product operations and pet food ingredients. Overlaps directly with Darling's North American Feed and rendering segments and competes for UCO/animal fat feedstock supply.
• JBS: Brazilian meat powerhouse with extensive rendering operations, biodiesel/renewable fuel investments, and global animal protein reach. Direct competitor in rendering, with growing overlap in renewable diesel/SAF and Brazil-based feedstock sourcing.
• Smithfield Foods (WH Group): World's largest pork processor with extensive rendering by-product utilization and animal feed ingredients. Closely comparable to Darling's North American Rendering operations and natural casings/frankfurters businesses (CTH).
• Pilgrim's Pride: Major US poultry processor (owned by JBS) with substantial rendering by-product operations. Closely comparable to Darling's protein meal/fat rendering segments in North America.
• GELITA: German-headquartered global gelatin and collagen peptide manufacturer and Darling's closest direct competitor in the Food segment (Rousselot) — competing for the same food/nutraceutical/pharmaceutical customers worldwide.

Broad incumbents

• Bunge Limited: Global agribusiness and oilseed processor expanding into renewable fuels and animal nutrition. Overlaps with Darling's Feed segment on fats/oils, and with Fuel segment as the biofuel value chain matures.
• Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): Global agribusiness with oilseed processing, animal nutrition, and a renewable diesel JV (with Marathon). Competes with Darling across Feed (animal nutrition) and Fuel (renewable diesel) segments, and as a feedstock buyer of UCO/animal fats.
• Cargill: Private global agribusiness giant with animal nutrition, food ingredients, and rendering operations spanning all three of Darling's segments. A former Cargill executive (Robert Aspell) now sits on Darling's board, reinforcing the close competitive overlap.

Emerging players

• Ingredion: Specialty food ingredients producer serving food/beverage manufacturers globally with starches, sweeteners, and texturants. Competes with Rousselot and Darling's Food segment ingredients in overlapping customer-formulation decisions and is also building alternative protein capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DAR_Ingredients
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFQGp2J0gMuM-dBTJ1a3PZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/DARPROSolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/darling-ingredients
• Instagraminstagram.com/darlingingredients

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Darling Ingredients Inc.