Darling International Inc. today reported net income of $16.1 million, or $0.19 per share, for the third quarter ended October 3, 2009. Sales and results of operations for the third quarter as compared to the same period of the prior year are as follows:

For the third quarter of 2009, the company reported net sales of $159.9 million as compared to $236.2 million for the third quarter of 2008. Lower finished product prices and reduced raw material volume accounted for the majority of the $76.3 million decrease.

Net income for the third quarter of 2009 decreased to $16.1 million, or $0.19 per share, as compared to $23.0 million, or $0.28 per share, for the 2008 comparable period. The $6.9 million decrease in net income for the third quarter resulted primarily from reduced raw material volume and lower finished product prices, which were partially offset by lower energy costs related to natural gas and diesel fuel.

Darling International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Randall Stuewe, said, "Our third quarter performance reflected solid execution on many fronts. Operationally, our raw material volumes remained stable since the first quarter of 2009 and we continued to benefit from lower energy costs in fiscal 2009."

For the nine months ended October 3, 2009, the company reported net sales of $448.2 million, as compared to $659.0 million for the 2008 comparable period. The $210.8 million decrease in sales is primarily attributable to lower finished product prices and reduced raw material volume.

For the nine months ended October 3, 2009, the company reported net income of $32.6 million, or $0.40 per share, as compared to $68.5 million, or $0.83 per share, for the 2008 comparable period. The $35.9 million decrease in net income for the nine months ended October 3, 2009, resulted primarily from lower finished product prices and reduced raw material volume, which were partially offset by lower energy costs related to natural gas and diesel fuel.

Darling International will host a conference call to discuss the Company's third quarter 2009 financial results at 10:00 am Eastern Time (9:00 am Central Time) on Friday, November 13, 2009. To listen to the conference call, participants calling from within North America should dial 800-860-2442; international participants should dial 412-858-4600. Please refer to access code 435548. Please call approximately ten minutes before the start of the call to ensure that you are connected.

The call will also be available as a live audio webcast that can be accessed on the company website at http://www.darlingii.com/investors.aspx. Beginning one hour after its completion, a replay of the call can be accessed through November 20, 2009, by dialing 877-344-7529 domestically, or 412-317-0088 if outside North America. The access code for the replay is 435548. The conference call will also be archived on the Company's website.

Darling International Inc. is the largest publicly traded, food processing by-products recycling company in the United States. The Company recycles used restaurant cooking oil and by-products from the beef, pork and poultry processing industries into useable products such as tallow, feed-grade fats, meat and bone meal and hides. These products are primarily sold to agricultural, leather, oleo-chemical and bio-diesel manufacturers around the world. In addition, the Company provides grease trap collection services and sells equipment to restaurants.

For additional information, visit the Company's web site at http://www.darlingii.com/.

{This media release contains forward-looking statements regarding the business operations and prospects of Darling and industry factors affecting it. These statements are identified by words such as "may," "will," " begin, " " look forward, " "expect," "believe," "intend," "anticipate," "should", "estimate," "continue," "momentum" and other words referring to events to occur in the future. These statements reflect Darling's current view of future events and are based on its assessment of, and are subject to, a variety of risks and uncertainties beyond its control, including the continued disturbances in world financial, credit, commodities and stock markets, a decline in consumer confidence and discretionary spending, the general performance of the U.S. economy, and global demands for bio-fuels and grain and oilseed commodities, which have exhibited volatility, each of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties regarding Darling, its business and the industry in which it operates are referenced from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Darling is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.}

  For More Information, contact:
  John O. Muse, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, or
  Brad Phillips, Treasurer, at
  972-717-0300




                           Darling International Inc.
                         Consolidated Operating Results
            For the Periods Ended October 3, 2009 and September 27, 2008
              (Dollars in thousands, except per share data amounts)
                                 (Unaudited)

                      Three Months Ended           Nine Months Ended
                      ------------------           -----------------
                                     $ Change                    $ Change
                    Oct. 3 Sept. 27  Favorable  Oct. 3 Sept. 27  Favorable
                     2009     2008 (Unfavorable) 2009    2008  (Unfavorable)
                  ---------------------------------------------------------
  Net sales        $159,936 $236,227 $(76,291) $448,234 $659,041 $(210,807)
  Costs and
   expenses:
    Cost of sales
     and
     operating
     expenses      $113,273 $177,745   64,472  $330,169 $485,339  $155,170
    Selling,
     general
     and
     administrative
     expenses        15,240   15,371      131    45,443   44,052    (1,391)
    Depreciation
     and
     amortization     6,027    5,799     (228)   18,187   17,436      (751)
                      -----    -----     ----    ------   ------      ----
  Total costs and
   expenses         134,540  198,915   64,375   393,799  546,827   153,028
                    -------  -------   ------   -------  -------   -------
  Operating
   income            25,396   37,312  (11,916)   54,435  112,214   (57,779)
                     ------   ------  -------    ------  -------   -------

  Other income/
   (expense):
    Interest
     expense           (714)    (714)       -    (2,156)  (2,334)     178
    Other, net          137       97       40      (318)     397     (715)
                        ---       --       --      ----      ---     ----
  Total other
   income/
   (expense)           (577)    (617)      40    (2,474)  (1,937)    (537)

  Income from
   operations
   before income
   taxes             24,819   36,695  (11,876)   51,961  110,277  (58,316)
  Income taxes
   (expense)/
   benefit           (8,746) (13,701)   4,955   (19,379) (41,743)  22,364
                     ------  -------    -----   -------  -------   ------
  Net income        $16,073  $22,994  $(6,921)  $32,582  $68,534 $(35,952)
                    =======  =======  =======   =======  ======= ========

  Basic income
   per
   share:             $0.20    $0.28   $(0.08)    $0.40    $0.84   $(0.44)
                      =====    =====   ======     =====    =====   ======
  Diluted income
   per
   share:             $0.19    $0.28   $(0.09)    $0.40    $0.83   $(0.43)
                      =====    =====   ======     =====    =====   ======

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: Darling International Inc.