Vermont Bean Crafters

At the head of Vermont Bean Crafters is Joe Bossen, an absolute connoisseur and bean master. If you think you can talk to Joe and not become obsessed with beans, you are fooling yourself. We are now chock full of knowledge and beans over here at the Co-op. 

Joe spent his early 20s working on farms and eating his friend’s adobo black beans for lunch. As he would lose himself in this simple dish it struck him how healthy, satisfying, and accessible this food was. Beans are full of fiber, they are a more affordable protein source than meat, they are not prohibitively expensive to farm, and they make such good food. He realized that not many farmers, if any, were growing or selling beans in Vermont despite the long list of positives about the crop and he wondered if he could be part of changing that. We’re not sure Joe quite realized at the time how deeply beans would root themselves into his mind from there on out, but we firmly believe the world needed this level of bean exuberance. 

Before starting Vermont Bean Crafters Joe learned how not to run a business by attempting to create a non-profit that recycled cooking oil for biofuel. Mind you, he was only a sophomore in college at this time! Now imagine yourself attempting to pass your exams while doing all of that as a sophomore in college. He eventually realized the venture was not sustainable, but he learned so much from that attempt, all of which he would bring to Vermont Bean Crafters. His love of community and for the environment, of course, remained. 

Joe started Vermont Bean Crafters about 15 years ago. The company has been based out of several different towns and facilities over the years, most of that time in shared spaces with other businesses. Each move has been somewhat of a testament to the collaborative spirit of farmers in the area, with good relationships with other farmers and word of mouth helping move things forward. 

The business has finally grown to be able to sustain its own location in Warren, VT, and some arable acreage dedicated to growing rare and heirloom beans. These are not the beans that go into the burgers we carry at the Co-op, but we adore the fact that Joe’s love for the crop extends deeply enough to become a steward of these rare varieties. 

It was also only in the last five years that Joe was able to give himself a salary for the work he does for Vermont Bean Crafters. In the interim he did work in kitchens and the solar and wind power industries to bridge the gap until beans could provide him with an income. That’s ten years of work with only the love of beans as payment. He has kept motivated in his vision to bring nutritious, affordable, and natural food to as many communities as possible by treasuring his relationship to plants and other people. Within Vermont Bean Crafters he is able to find a connectivity that’s not always available in other lines of work. This has made the years of research, labor, and problem-solving worth it for him and it also makes his product a perfect match for our Co-op. 

So, it is very much settled that Joe and his business are absolutely worth supporting by nature of their commitment to all the things we like to be committed to here—but, you may ask, what about the beans? The food Vermont Bean Crafters produces is clean, local, and organic. Vermont Bean Crafters works with bean farms within a 350-mile radius, extending that far out only when absolutely necessary. That’s the “safe” number just to be sure they are accurately describing the product, but the beans often come from closer than that. The other ingredients that go into the burgers, like the carrots, onion, and kale come from about a 50-mile radius and are, again, all organic. Joe keeps relationships with these farmers fair and sustainable. 

Plans for the future include… more beans! The company is able to produce approximately 10,000 bean burgers per week, with wholesale expansion to places like our Co-op and commercial kitchens increasing all the time. Vermont Bean Crafters remains committed to maintaining their standards for local, clean food through sustainable expansion. 

Joe says that, at this point, one of Vermont Bean Crafters’ main missions is to invite more joy into the world. For this reason he closes the article thusly: 

“Believe, believe in the magical fruit.” 

Vermont Bean Crafters Products at the Co-op:

Falafel Burger:
This is a falafel intended to be baked, rather than fried, making it a more nutritious shade of delicious. Instead of cooking the chickpeas, we sprout them to increase texture, flavor, and available nutrition.

Black Bean Burger:
This burger is packed with what grows best around here: black beans, carrots, kale, onions, and buckwheat. Its flavor comes from curry, cumin, rosemary, and chili flakes. 

Falafel Fritters:
Packed with authentic Middle Eastern flavors like cumin and coriander, this recipe holds true to its roots. Vermont Bean Crafters holds true to their own by incorporating unconventional ingredients that allow them to use more local and organic elements.

Written by Sarah Galgano