In December, we brought you the news of a new wholesale coffee roaster being spearheaded by longtime Anodyne Coffee alum Steve Kessler.
Just two months later, Sugar Leaf Coffee Roasterie is up and running in a 1300-square-foot warehouse space in Bay View with three Flagship blends and numerous single-origin coffees ready to debut in their eye-catching laurel green and yellow branded packaging.
Powered by a playlist filled with bands ranging from The Cure and The Smiths to Bob Marley, Kessler has spent recent weeks roasting inaugural batches of coffee and honing in on the flavor profiles for Sugar Leaf’s core offerings.
That includes three flagship blends, a cold brew blend and an espresso blend. During that time, he’s donated over 200 pounds of coffee to area shelters including the Bay View Community Center and Hunger Task Force.
He’s starting out small and intentional in a commercial space that can accommodate a small Probat roaster with a 25 roasting capacity, bean storage, a small tasting lab and office space. In fact, beginning this week, he hopes to start working with inaugural wholesale accounts including cafes, restaurants, coffee houses, businesses and small retail outlets.
And, while he won’t have a public-facing retail space or cafe, he will soon be able to sell coffee to interested consumers, who can purchase coffee online using his newly minted website at sugarleafcoffee.com.
In the roaster
Coffees include:
- Golden Dawn (light roast blend): Citrus, almond, smooth
- Amber Moon (medium roast blend): Light smoke, bakers chocolate, roasted nuts
- Dreamcatcher (dark roast blend): Smokey, cocoa, creamy
- Espresso Elan: Apricots, nutty, chocolate
- Cold Brew Blend: Bakers chocolate, smooth, nutty
- El Salvador, Finca La Esperanza: Raspberry, dark chocolate, brown sugar
- Sumatra, Mandheling Grade 1: Earthy, clove, citrus zest
- Ethiopia, Guji Germa Edema: Melon, milk chocolate, orange
- Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe Banko Chelchele: Blueberry, black tea, apricot
- Mexico, Monte Azul: Nutmeg, roasted almonds, cocoa
Kessler says he’ll approach his new business with the philosophy he’s used to service customers for the duration of his career.
“It’s not just about selling coffee to them,” he says. “It’s about taking care of them and making sure that they have what they need. If they’re not successful, I’m not successful.”
Wholesale inquiries can be submitted online at sugarleafcoffee.com. Coffee lovers can also follow Sugar Leaf Coffee Roasterie on Instagram and Facebook.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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