Materials have been rendered since primitive times, beginning when man found that fat could be melted around crude wicks and burned for light, or rubbed over his body as protection from harsh weather. When the meat-packing industry flourished in the mid-1800's and a solution was needed for the waste – the Darling family, pioneers in rendering animal by-products into fertilizers, tallow and hides, was there with a solution.

Today, the rendering industry – already contributing to the production of jet fuels, tires and other commercial products - continues to keep pace with and take advantage of changes in technology and food habits. Bio-fuels are the latest transformation, and research is being conducted on new applications such as bio-plastics.

Darling Today
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, we operate a network of facilities across the United States. In addition to the rendering operations Darling began with, our services to the restaurant industry continue to expand and we are also planning the construction of a renewable diesel refinery through a joint venture with Valero Energy.

In December 2010, we expanded our geographic reach and list of services with our acquisition of Griffin Industries, the leading privately-owned renderer/recycler primarily serving the Midwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. This merger filled in our national footprint and has made Darling and Griffin the largest renderer, bakery waste, used cooking oil recycler and grease trap service provider in North America. We now have over 130 locations in 42 states with approximately 3,300 employees and a fleet of over 5,000 tractors, trucks and trailers.

Together, Darling and Griffin are stronger, more efficient and better able to serve their customers and suppliers, adhering to the highest customer service, product quality. food safety and biosecurity standards in the industry. Find out more about Griffin Industries and their products and services here.

Through our National Service Center, we offer national service, service management and online records management through one point of contact available 24/7. Our analytical lab is one of the best equipped and staffed in the rendering industry. The only national rendering company publicly traded (NYSE:DAR), we also contribute to the balance of trade by exporting approximately 30 percent of what we produce.

Watch a short streaming video (if your computer supports it) about Darling, and the role our company and industry plays in protecting our nation’s food supply and environment.