CENTRAL MN MADE: “Muggsy’s Beans” A Coffee Force in St. Cloud [AUDIO]

In a small, unassuming north St. Cloud warehouse space, one man spends his busy days roasting coffee beans now found throughout the Midwest and beyond.

Muggsy Lauer owns and operates "Muggsy's Beans," the latest business in our "Made in Central Minnesota" series.

Lauer learned the process of roasting coffee beans about 20 years ago when he made the career switch from being a delivery driver to a coffee shop employee. He says he took to it "like a duck to water," and finally decided to go into business for himself in 2006.

Now, Lauer roasts around 2,000 pounds of organic, raw beans a month, which turn into about 12 different coffee blends. He then packages and ships to shops as far away as Florida and Pennsylvania.

As far as local impact, Lauer's beans are served and sold in a diverse array of area businesses, like the Local Blend, the Veranda Lounge and Jule's Bistro, as well as many area churches and schools.

Lauer says he gains a lot of his business through an online presence, in addition to a lot of word-of mouth advertising. He says he's never been too keen on greatly expanding to try and become "the next Starbucks." The best part of the job is being able to make a living doing something he loves.

You can learn more about Muggsy Lauer and his coffee beans, as well as where to get then, by visiting his website.