E D U C ATION
JOE BOSSEN
Vermont Bean Crafters makes veggie burgers using regionally grown organic produce.
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GREEN LIVING | SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Bossen, 29, was drawn makes veggie burgers to Green Mountain College from largely locally grown B.S. in in Vermont because it beans. The black bean sustainable enterprises, offered self-designed, burger is flavored with Green environmentally minded garlic and rosemary, and Mountain majors. He worked with an the Sweet Sweet Harvest College, 2008 adviser to create his own Burger makes use of sweet curriculum, which allowed potatoes and kidney beans. him to explore topics that didn’t Last year, Bossen said the company exist together in a “turn-key” major, used about 50,000 pounds of beans he says. He originally thought he — and he hopes that number will wanted to work in the renewable enrise to 1 million by 2022. ergy field. But why add more energy The meat-free burgers, which to the grid when you could just use are lower in fat and calories than a less energy overall? Because meat traditional beef burger and higher in production is more energy-intensive fiber, are also on the menu in some than growing vegetables, he decided public schools, hospitals and at least to create a veggie burger that would one college in Vermont. sate even the pickiest eater. “That’s been the focus lately,” In 2009, Bossen launched Vermont he says, “getting better food to the Bean Crafters in Waitsfield, Vt., a people that the local food movesustainably minded company that ment left behind.”
COURTESY VERMONT BEAN CRAFTERS; TIM DONAGHY
President and founder, Vermont Bean Crafters