This past June, CFNE in collaboration with the Cooperative Development Institute (CDI), was awarded the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) Small Business TA grant. Through this grant, CFNE and CDI were able to provide comprehensive and coordinated technical assistance, training, and financing to 16 coffee industry workers to become the new worker-owners of Dean’s Beans. This group of 16 officially formed Proud Harvest Workers Cooperative in May 2023 to operate Dean’s Beans as a co-op.
With the help of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center’s (MSBDC) Western Regional Office, the new worker-owners were able to:
- Create financial projections,
- Conduct market research, and
- Develop a co-op business plan
Prior to the transition from worker to worker-owner, Deans Bean’s management took part in the Participatory Management Initiative, a training program co-ran by CFNE and CDI. This initiative is also supported by MGCC.
