About
Bonanza Bean was established in 2008 with much anticipation and excitement. In January of that year, the team began the process of looking for a convenient location for our edible bean clientele. By April, the management team had secured the land, purchased equipment, and begun construction on a green-field site on the edge of Morris. The company was officially registered with the state of Minnesota as an LLC and fourteen investors secured the capital needed for the project, making the dream a reality! The Bonanza Bean team built a state-of-the-art kidney bean processing facility specifically designed to supply our customers with superior quality beans. By October, the first dark red kidney beans were rolling off the line and being loaded onto trucks for customers around the United States. Bonanza Bean was on track to meet its first year goals.
We have been fortunate enough to be guided by a talented board of directors. Each director comes with a unique and distinctive agri-business perspective that has been instrumental in providing good counsel and advice.
In our first year of business, the majority of our production came from local growers and investors. After a couple of years, the Bonanza Bean team was well-positioned for growth and had gained valuable industry experience. Since its inception, the company has grown substantially each year and is now a major supplier of dark and light red kidney beans to buyers and consumers all over the world.
Bonanza Bean uses the industry's latest and most efficient processing equipment for cleaning edible beans. Our extensive process ensures that we deliver a reliable and consistent product to all of our customers. When Mother Nature delivers challenges, such as a wet rainy fall, we utilize the best equipment available to process our product and provide predictable, consistent value for our clientele. Our growth over the years has enabled us to purchase a dryer that is able to dry large quantities of edible beans when necessary, which gives our producers the ability to bring in product when environmental conditions are challenging. Throughout the years, the Bonanza Bean team continued to add storage and cleaning capacity for edible beans, which has allowed us to grow our sales and marketing reach each and every year since inception. Due to committed ownership and an outstanding team of dedicated employees, Bonanza Bean is optimistic about the future!
Our Mission
We at Bonanza Bean aspire to be at the forefront of the Industry with the dedication of our employees, growers and owners, to be "Simply the Best!"
Our Team
Dan Schaefer
Chief Managing Officer & Chairman of the Board / Founder
Dan Schaefer, founder and partner of Bonanza Bean LLC., resides on a farm in rural Hancock. He and his wife, Shadow, and their four children are actively involved in farming and in running Bonanza Bean. Dan enjoys spending time with family and friends, helping area Future Farmers of America students, and boating. It was because of Dan’s vision and forethought that Bonanza Bean was established in 2008. After securing the capital and partners to make his dream a reality, Dan worked tirelessly to build and improve Bonanza Bean's services and products. Dan serves as chairman of the Board and surrounding himself with a team of outstanding individuals. He brings over 25 years of agri-business experience to Bonanza Bean and is actively growing a portion of the edible beans for supply.
Andy Hacker
Operations Manager
Andy Hacker grew up and resides in the Stevens County area, along with his wife, Echo, and their two young boys, Easton and Ashdon. Andy has a strong work ethic, and he enjoys traveling with his wife. He is an active father with boys who are interested in golf, baseball, football, and other outdoor activities; he loves spending time driving his boat at the lake. Andy joined the Bonanza Bean team in November 2015. Bringing with him more then 19 years of agri-business experience. Previously, he worked at a large neighbouring dairy, beef, and crop farm where he managed and worked in many different areas, including the management of feed and cattle trucking logistics and forage harvesting crews.
Cork Fehr
Sales Manager
Cork was born in the Stevens County area, where he and his wife, Pam, raised their two daughters. Cork enjoys spending time with his children, the Schaefer and Hacker families, and his six grandchildren. He also enjoys visiting with people, driving his boat for his grand kids at the lake, and spending time with others in the agri-business community. Cork joined the Bonanza Bean team at its inception in 2008 as the plant manager, taking on a variety of responsibilities and overseeing all the day-to-day operations. He has played a major role in the growth and development of Bonanza Bean. Currently, Cork is the sales manager and helps with grower relations. He brings over 40 years of experience in the agri-business industry with many of those years managing and working with people. Cork is a true “people’s person”.
Echo Hacker
Office Manager / International Sales
Echo Hacker joined the Bonanza Bean team at its inception in 2008 and has had a variety of responsibilities over the years. She continues to assume important roles within the team, including managing our international sales, serving as HAACP team leader and office manager, and assisting with grower relations. Echo has many talents and hobbies, but especially enjoys spending time with family, cooking, traveling with her husband, and surprising the Bonanza Bean team by showing how man different meals can be made with beans!