Restaurant Suppliers

[2lilboots]

I have found most of my soaping oils, like pomace olive oil and coconut oil at restaurant suppliers. You can buy 50 lbs of the stuff, usually the more you buy the bigger the discount. It took me a while, but I have found the palm oil as well. I had to do my research in their fryer oil section. If you click on the nutrition data it will state palm oil. It doesn't say that in the initial description of the product.

 

[BWt]

Interesting tip. Going to check local restaurant supply stores! Thank you

 

[dmcgee5034]

@2lilboots, I was just taken to a giant restaurant supply store the other day, and I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! Everything screamed “make soap”!

 

[AliOop]

You guys are making me jealous! Our two local restaurant suppliers are pricey and don't carry much of anything I want; they don't carry palm, RBO, or tallow, for instance. Their CO is pricier than Big Lots or Costco. Their OO is pricier than Costco. Their lard is the same price per oz as Walmart, which is closer to my home. Boo.

 

[Jorah]

You guys are making me jealous! Our two local restaurant suppliers are pricey and don't carry much of anything I want; they don't carry palm, RBO, or tallow, for instance. Their CO is pricier than Big Lots or Costco. Their OO is pricier than Costco. Their lard is the same price per oz as Walmart, which is closer to my home. Boo.

We're getting our first Costco within 20 miles, and it will be about half a mile from my house. I'm hoping that the prices of base oils help make up for the huge traffic increase bound to come with it.

 

[TheGecko]

I have found most of my soaping oils, like pomace olive oil and coconut oil at restaurant suppliers. You can buy 50 lbs of the stuff, usually the more you buy the bigger the discount. It took me a while, but I have found the palm oil as well. I had to do my research in their fryer oil section. If you click on the nutrition data it will state palm oil. It doesn't say that in the initial description of the product.

Congratulations! It is always nice to fine a good supplier with reasonable prices.

 

[Ford]

Quite a few of our base materials. Can be cross referenced. With the food industry. Freezer paper by the industrial size rolls. Wide widths as well. For example.

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

I was all excited when I saw the price of palm shortening at a nearby restaurant supply. Then realized that this palm is not RSPO certified like the kind I usually buy for nearly twice the price. Some of my customers care, some don't.
How many of you stick with only RSPO oils?

 

[2lilboots]

I doubt that people question if their french fries or doughnuts are fried in RSPO certified palm oils, or their cupcake frosting was made with palm shortening. Most don't even know. If your customers want RSPO certified then that's what you use.

 

[contrinokathy]

I have found most of my soaping oils, like pomace olive oil and coconut oil at restaurant suppliers. You can buy 50 lbs of the stuff, usually the more you buy the bigger the discount. It took me a while, but I have found the palm oil as well. I had to do my research in their fryer oil section. If you click on the nutrition data it will state palm oil. It doesn't say that in the initial description of the product.

I have been buying from my local restaurant supply store. Lard, coconut oil, olive oil as well as scales. Lots of great supplies there

 

[akseattle]

@JoyfulSudz I haven't made any cold process soap yet, but when I discovered this hobby in March, I bought all the oils to make Soap Queens tried and true recipe which contains palm oil. Not to sound ignorant, but I'm not sure I'd even heard of palm oil before that. Since then, I've read many recipes and seen soaps advertised that say "palm oil free." I was thinking it was a carcinogen or something but hadn't looked into it since I hadn't actually made any soap.

Since you raised the issue of RSPO, I had to look that up. So, I guess that means its certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Apparently, all those "palm oil free" advocates say that RSPO is not concerned about deforestation and that no palm oil should be used.

This is a complicated planet we live on.

I just looked up the characteristics of palm oil on a chart by the NerdyFarmWife. Assuming its accurate, the properties of palm oil seem to be really similar to the properties of -- ugggh -- pig lard. i grew up in a house that cooked with pig lard ( a century ago). So, once we left pig lard behind for other types of oil/ fats, I never thought I'd look at pig lard again. I wasn't much for the kitchen and lard grossed me out... I'm going to use my palm oil to make cold process soap (which I swear I am on the verge of finally doing). But, if I hadn't already bought it, I'm wondering "Why use palm oil at all?" it seems to offend a bunch of people if its not RSPO, and it offends Rainforest people and other environmentalists whether or not its RSPO. Can't palm oil as easily be replaced by lard? It sounds like lard is readily available and has great properties. I'm just wondering.

 

[Tammyfarms]

Can't palm oil as easily be replaced by lard? It sounds like lard is readily available and has great properties. I'm just wondering.

Lard makes an amazing soap! When I was a kid we raised pigs, every time we butchered one mom made soap. It was definitely not the same soap I make today. I am guessing it was lye heavy and had no fragrance or pretty designs. There are lots of resources on here for lard soap.

 

[dmcgee5034]

I made my first lard soap 2 weeks ago! The curing bar has the most amazing silky smooth feel - I’m dying to try it!

I do use RSPO in my usual recipe, FWIW.

 

[2lilboots]

Lard, pig fat, OMG it was once a live animal...lol. Now you are going to offend the animal rights groups. You're darned if you do, darned if you don't. Years ago I made a wonderful lard soap as lard was cheaper back in 2012 - 2013. But if the family decides to butcher hogs, I will gladly use the lard

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

I totally agree about lard -- it makes the best soap! I love it for my skin, and it's a pleasure to make soap with because it moves so slow. I use it for the majority of my soapmaking. It uses what would often otherwise be a waste product, and so I see it as environmentally smart.
But there are always those who say "Yuck, eww, pig fat," and so I make palm-based as well for them and have stuck with RSPO because it's often important to them.
I'm not convinced RSPO palm really makes a difference on the grand environmental scale though. It's just the one that gets the most publicity. This article has some interesting info on RSPO. Is Harvesting Palm Oil Destroying the Rainforests?
Sadly we've been harsh caretakers of our planet on so many levels, and palm is not the only commodity that has been carelessly or over-harvested.

 

[akseattle]

I totally agree about lard -- it makes the best soap! I love it for my skin, and it's a pleasure to make soap with because it moves so slow. I use it for the majority of my soapmaking. It uses what would often otherwise be a waste product, and so I see it as environmentally smart.
But there are always those who say "Yuck, eww, pig fat," and so I make palm-based as well for them and have stuck with RSPO because it's often important to them.
I'm not convinced RSPO palm really makes a difference on the grand environmental scale though. It's just the one that gets the most publicity. This article has some interesting info on RSPO. Is Harvesting Palm Oil Destroying the Rainforests?
Sadly we've been harsh caretakers of our planet on so many levels, and palm is not the only commodity that has been carelessly or over-harvested.

Pig lard does seem to be environmentally smart - if you are raising pigs especially. But, this thread also makes lard soap sound divine! One of these days, I'll make a lard soap! Optimally, I'd find a recreational farmer who raises a pig or two for food and doesn't realize the lard can be used for soap.
I did read a bunch of articles about RSPO and Rainforest activists and the debate about whether palm oil should be used at all. It does support some economies in the world - and so the livelihood of many, it seems harsh to say "no palm oil at all."