ORANGE — On a busy Friday morning, employees at Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee in Orange work on packaging the coffee, along with carrying colorful buckets full of brown beans while The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun” plays in the background.
Human Resources Manager Katherine Parcell works inside an office adorned with various pictures, including a signed photograph of actor Orlando Bloom hanging in front of her desk, and assists with handling the company’s orders and social media. Colorful pieces of art hang on the walls, while bright green bumper stickers sit on a shelf for the taking. The environment is upbeat and fast-paced while workers diligently label each bag of beans.
The company’s operation is much bigger than it was in its infancy inside a small New Salem farmhouse 25 years ago. In 2001, the company moved to its current location in Orange and has been there ever since, said founder Dean Cycon.
For the first time this year, the company was named one of Boston’s 2018 “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.” According to the website, the competition honors organizations “that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment.” The companies are tested on categories such as work-life balance, employee education, diversity and more.
Cycon said 12 full-time employees — from administrative staff to the people that roast the coffee — work inside the red building at 50 R.W. Moore Ave. to get the beans to customers as far away as California and as close as Trail Head Outfitters and General Store down the street in downtown Orange.
In fact, last year, Trail Head owner Paul Anderson ordered from Dean’s Beans a custom blend called “Castle Rock Coffee.” The blend, a dark roast, commemorates “Castle Rock,” an online series partially filmed in Orange.
The workforce includes master roaster Brendan Walsh, who started with the company 12 years ago. He said he started off packaging the product and eventually made his way to the position he currently holds.
“It is an interesting job; it is a craft in itself. You really have to have close attention to detail and a good palate,” said Walsh.
Working for Cycon, Walsh said he has been able to accommodate his family’s schedule with his work schedule, a value the company champions.
“We are very family friendly,” said Cycon. “We have three months paid maternity leave and two weeks paid paternity leave. We have flexible hours to accommodate people’s families and their lifestyles.”
Parcell, who’s been with the company for just more than five years, after working in the coffee industry in Vermont, said Cycon takes care of his workers and allows her to balance the various activities happening in her life as well.
“The work-life balance is just huge. I couldn’t be a parent in the way that I am at another company. If my kids get sick, I can run and take care of it … or I can bring them in to play for a while,” she said. “The company is really responsive to whatever else we have going on in our lives.”
Cycon also said he aims to give his employees the best benefits possible, with health insurance that covers premiums, copays and deductibles.
“So basically, everyone here has free health care,” he said. “I really believe health care is a right.”
Walsh said the company has also allowed him to grow outside of the job by sending him to various trainings, industry events — and even all the way to Peru.
“You realize how important it is to (the farmers) there … most of this coffee comes from usually the poorest regions of extremely poor countries,” he said.
According to Cycon, Dean’s Beans buys its coffee from 13 countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas — producing about 600,000 pounds of beans a year.
“It isn’t Starbucks, but it is also not a mom and pop operation anymore,” he said.
Dean’s Beans will have a chance to join other “Best and Brightest” companies,” including Puma, at a Sept. 14 event for networking and recognition at The VERVE Crowne Plaza in Natick.
“My philosophy here is that we are really kind of like an extended family,” said Cycon.