NEW ORLEANS - Everyone loves fried food and Filta, a pioneer in commercial cooking oil filtration, is helping make it even better. Filta New Orleans has carved a niche in the industry by combining eco-friendly practices with operational efficiency. From servicing high-profile facilities like Caesars Superdome, Smoothie King Center, and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to supporting local restaurants and educational institutions such as Tulane University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Filta has become an indispensable partner for kitchens across southern Louisiana.
Trent Carlos, franchise owner and the driving force behind Filta’s success in the region, shared his journey and vision for the business. “I was working in a large corporate retail setting and looking to make a change,” he explained. Inspired by a friend running an oil filtration business in another territory, Carlos realized the potential of an oil filtration enterprise in New Orleans that would not only benefit the environment but also provide a better work-life balance.
Since launching in 2016 with just a truck and his determination, Carlos has grown the business exponentially. Today, his team includes around 30 employees, with plans to expand to 50–60 within a year. “It’s very satisfying,” he said. “Oil filtration was a new concept when I started, but as our reputation expanded and customers referred us to more customers, the business took off. For the last two years, we’ve grown 200% year over year.”
Filta’s range of services is tailored to meet the diverse needs of commercial kitchens, emphasizing sustainability and safety:
- FiltaFry: A signature service providing on-site oil filtration that extends oil life by up to 50% and eliminates 99% of carbon from fryers.
- FiltaBio: A comprehensive oil recycling service that minimizes waste and ensures environmental safety while reducing accidents in the kitchen.
- FiltaGold: Supplies high-quality oil using eco-friendly jugs, eliminating the need for bulky oil drums and enhancing convenience for kitchen staff.
- FiltaClean: Offers full-scale kitchen cleaning using steam-based techniques, ensuring hygiene and compliance with health regulations.
- FiltaCool: Implements humidity control in cold storage while keeping ingredients fresh.
- FiltaDrain: Provides non-toxic probiotic drain maintenance to prevent blockages, odors, and costly emergencies.
Beyond its innovative services, Filta has made a measurable environmental impact. In 2024 alone, the company filtered 640,000 pounds of oil and conserved or recycled over 1.1 million pounds, converting used oil into biodiesel fuel. “Year after year, the plastic we don’t put into the environment makes a difference,” said Carlos. “This improves the quality of life not just for our customers but for all of New Orleans.”
The company’s growth trajectory remained steady even during the challenges of COVID. This strong and steady growth has allowed Filta to introduce new services like FiltaClean and FiltaGold and extend its reach from the western side of Lafayette across southern Louisiana and up to Alexandria with plans to expand into Mississippi and across the Gulf Coast.
Carlos takes pride in the relationship he has with his customers. “I’m learning Spanish, and although I’m not fluent yet, I’m getting there,” he said. “It feels good to be able to talk to customers whose first language is not English.”
“Kitchen workers don’t want to handle hot oil because it’s dangerous,” Carlos said. “This is our wheelhouse. They see us coming and say, ‘Thank God the filter guys are here.’ We feel like superheroes.”
As Filta continues to expand and innovate, its commitment to sustainability, safety, and community remains steadfast. “As the business improves and grows, so do the lives of my customers and staff,” Carlos said, reflecting on the journey.
Filta is not just preventing the waste of huge amounts of discarded oil from entering the environment, but dramatically reducing the plastic and cardboard used when discarding it. “Year after year the plastic we don’t put into the environment makes a difference,” said Carlos. “This improves the quality of life not just for our customers but for all of New Orleans.”
