Jim & Deanna Varney: Solar-Powered Coffee in Steel Cans | Ep. 63

Jim Varney spent 25 years designing consumer products -- until he saw one of his own designs sitting in a pile of "trash" at a modern art museum, and it changed everything. Now he and his wife Deanna run Wavelength Coffee Roasters out of a solar-powered former rope mill in Shirley, Massachusetts. In this episode, Jim and Deanna talk about the industrial design background that led to their steel-can packaging (no foil bags here), why they use air roasting instead of the 150-year-old drum roasting method, how Deanna's library science background became an unexpected business asset, and what they're calling their "spaghetti year" as they figure out what sticks. Plus, a lightning round covering pancakes vs. waffles, night owls vs. morning people, and the one thing Jim didn't expect people to be surprised about. 📍 Wavelength Coffee Roasters -- Shirley, MA 🔗 wavelengthcoffee.com 🔔 New episodes drop every Tuesday -- hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss one! 👇 Follow Beyond the Plate everywhere: Linktree: linktr.ee/BeyondtheplateNH YouTube: youtube.com/@beyondtheplatewithcarol Instagram: @beyondtheplatenh Facebook: Beyond the Plate NH TikTok: @nhbeyondtheplate Spotify: Search "Beyond the Plate with Carol" This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant. Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years. belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering ABOUT BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL Carol Erickson sits down with the people behind New Hampshire's food and hospitality scene. It's not just about the food -- it's about the journeys, the community, and what drives people to go beyond. Follow Carol: Instagram: @carolsew24 0:00 - Intro 1:20 - Meet Jim and Deanna Varney 2:00 - From engineering coffee equipment to running the machines 3:50 - Working retail coffee in college 5:50 - The value of working in food service 7:15 - Getting the itch to leave industrial design 9:00 - The museum moment 😳 11:00 - "Can we do something better?" 14:00 - Founding Wavelength in 2025 15:00 - Falling in love with coffee grower stories 16:10 - Deanna's library science background as a business asset 19:20 - Explaining air roasting vs. drum roasting 23:35 - The solar power story at Phoenix Park 26:30 - Finding a home in an old rope mill 29:00 - The steel can packaging decision 36:20 - Wanting to be part of the local community 38:40 - Manchester's coffee shop density 39:40 - What a coffee "cupping" actually is 1:00:20 - Lightning Round 1:03:45 - Where Wavelength wants to be in 5 years 1:04:00 - Closing thoughts