Worcester Business Journal

20 Worcester Business Journal | January 7, 2019 | wbjournal.com F O C U S S e r v i c i n g Y o u r B u s i n e s s BY GRANT WELKER Worcester Business Journal News Editor Good As Gold gets the best beans BEST COFFEE SERVICE Good As Gold Coffee* Worcester, www.goodasgoldcoffeeservice.com Top executive: President Patrice Goldman Founded: 1969 Employees: 15 I n some ways, Worcester's Good As Gold isn't so different than other office distributors like Staples or W.B. Mason. But that's if you look only at how it can keep a company's break room stocked with coffee. Good As Gold is run by coffee aficio- nados, and it hardly takes any time during a visit to the Canal District offices to notice. Owner Dan Goldman and his son, Mike, could talk all day about the regions of the world where they get beans, how they make their own blends for their customers or about their new air roasting method brings more customization and consistency to roasting beans. "We need to do things right, because we're purists too," Mike Goldman said. Good As Gold supplies offices and restaurants with everything from espresso machines to its own sin- gle-serve pods like Keurig K-Cups but without having to throw away plastic at the end. It has recently added kegs of cold brew coffee to its offerings. The company works with its custom- ers to figure out which coffee maker will work best. Do employees tend to take breaks all at once? A slower brewer wouldn't work in that case. Colombian, Ethiopian or French vanilla, among a far larger number of options, could work for whatever employees are looking to drink. Good As Gold serves a 50-mile radius from its office, delivering in its own trucks or shipping by mail. Good As Gold has been in business since 1969, but the industry has changed, Dan Goldman said. An office worker or a patron in a restaurant is much more choosy about coffee these days, he said, which means employers and restaurants need to be, too. For Good As Gold, that means they have to start by knowing the best growers and the best beans. "You can't make bad coffee taste good because of the roaster," he said. In other words, no amount of effort or the best machinery can help them if they don't start the right way. Good As Gold has moved into an area the company couldn't have imag- ined in 1969. In the last few months, it has joined the online custom- and handmade goods marketplace Etsy. Among its products are bags of coffee to be given out as wedding favors, with a logo for the bride and groom. BEST PLUMBER/HVAC CONTRACTOR J.J. Bafaro, Inc.* Worcester, JJBafaro.com Top executive: President Joseph J. Bafaro Founded: 1964 Employees: 70 Relying on its service and expertise to outshine the competition, Bafaro can handle complex challenges and is equipped with the latest technologies. Its service department works to development long-term relationships using core values of integrity, respect and honesty. Notable runner-up: Garabedian Plumbing & Heating Inc. W The Good as Gold coffeemaking process reflects its purist sensibilities. BEST COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPER Cheaper Than The Kid Next Door Landscaping* Worcester, cheaperthanthekidnextdoor.com Top executive: Brandon Dziokonski Founded: 2015 Employees: 6 full time To stay true to its value of providing detailed landscaping at a reasonable price, last year Cheaper developed its Set It & Forget It program where clients can sign up for every service they need throughout the year – including spring and fall cleanup, aeration and weekly maintenance – for one consistent monthly price. This avoid expensive one-time projects. Notable runners-up: Rutland Nurseries, Leone's Landscaping BEST OFFICE CLEANING Eagle Cleaning Corp.* Worcester, www.eaglecleaning.com Top executive: President & CEO Jeff Johnson Founded: 2001 Employees: 200 To stay on top of a competitive market, Eagle focuses on its core customers of larger commercial, institutional and educational facilities within a 50-mile radius of Worcester, only taking on clients fitting into its business model. Eagle has invested in a new truck- mounted carpet cleaning system to make its carpet care program second to none. Notable runners-up: Enterprise Cleaning, Modular Cleaning Company BEST LOGISTICS COMPANY Euro-American Worldwide Logistics Worcester, www.eaafinc.net Top executive: President Eric Busenburg Founded: 1966 Employees: 20 Importing and exporting for manufacturers J.J. Bafaro HVAC work Brandon Dziokonski

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