Steel Oak Coffee Launches First Interactive Coffee Flavor Wheel for Consumers

With 80% of Americans drinking coffee daily but only 10% choosing specialty, Steel Oak's interactive Flavor Wheel helps consumers explore higher-quality options as rising commodity prices close the gap with specialty coffee.

ORMOND BEACH, Fla., Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Steel Oak Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster based in Florida, has launched the first interactive Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel designed for consumers to shop coffee by taste.

Traditionally reserved for coffee professionals and Q-graders, the Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel has been reimagined by Steel Oak Coffee into an intuitive retail tool. Visitors to the roaster's website can explore categories like Floral, Fruity, or Chocolate, then instantly see coffees that match those sensory notes—making specialty coffee more approachable than ever.

"Our goal was to bridge the gap between how roasters taste and how customers shop," said Carl Dupper, CEO of Steel Oak Coffee. "This tool makes the professional flavor vocabulary both interactive and approachable, while guiding people to discover coffees that fit their palate."

Why It Matters

More than 80% of Americans drink coffee daily, yet fewer than 10% choose specialty—a category defined by quality, traceability, and flavor depth. At the same time, the price of commodity coffee has risen 21% in the past year, narrowing the gap between mass-market blends and specialty beans. Unlike commodity coffee, specialty roasters such as Steel Oak are less impacted by tariffs and global price swings, allowing them to offer higher-quality coffee at prices now comparable to grocery store options.

By connecting everyday drinkers directly to flavor-driven choices, Steel Oak Coffee's interactive wheel makes specialty coffee accessible at a moment when consumers are primed to upgrade their daily cup.

Key Highlights

• First known interactive Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel in specialty coffee e-commerce
  
  
• Consumers can shop by flavor preference instead of origin or roast level
  
  
• Simplifies the buying process while encouraging exploration and education

The interactive wheel is now live at https://steeloakcoffee.com/pages/coffee-flavor-wheel.

About Steel Oak Coffee
Founded in 2016 in Ormond Beach, Florida, Steel Oak Coffee is built on the pillars of integrity, authenticity, and community. The roaster sources seasonal, ethically grown beans and roasts them in small batches to highlight their true character and terroir. With a commitment to education, transparency, and innovation, Steel Oak Coffee continues to push the boundaries of consumer coffee experiences.

www.steeloakcoffee.com

SOURCE Steel Oak Coffee