MILWAUKEE — In a divided world, I think we can all agree on one thing. Milwaukee is a really great beer and brewery city. But I do have to make one argument. Milwaukee is a seriously underrated coffee and cafe city. There are top-tier cafes and roasters in and around the city. Now, there is another to add even more competition to an already crowded field.
“Just ground yourself in the fact that you know you know what you’re doing, and you know this is the right path to take, and you just have to trust yourself and trust your gut," Steve Kessler said.
Kessler is a 22-year coffee industry veteran. He decided to pursue his dream of having his own company. So, he opened Sugar Leaf Coffee Roasterie in February.
"You know, when you find that place that kind of just feels like home? Coffee’s been that for me," Kessler said.
He did just about every job in the industry. Kessler worked as a barista, roaster, and on the administrative/sales side. Now, he is a roasterie owner. Kessler does just wholesale coffee. No cafe. He does all his roasting in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood.
“I just want to get a roaster, get a space, roast coffee, and see what happens.”
It has been a grind, literally and figuratively. Kessler has been working seven days a week for the past four months. But this is his dream, and dreams take a lot of work.
“It just feels natural, and what I should have been doing," he said.
Watch the story of how Steve Kessler created Sugar Leaf Coffee Roasterie...
Coffee and cafes, like the beer and brewery industry, are very competitive in Milwaukee. Kessler believes his industry knowledge, experience, and taste for a good cup of joe will help him stand out.
“Primarily my aesthetic is I prefer the lighter roast coffees, so a lot of my coffees fall in kind of that range.”
He has one goal in mind. It’s simple, but it won’t be easy.
“Hopefully doing all of this in a bigger space," Kessler said.
You can find Sugar Leaf coffee at various cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores around Milwaukee. You can learn more about his coffee by going to his website.
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