by Jason Patzer
With this being the “Best Take Out” issue and the fact that every coffee shop is basically a take-out option if you want it to be, I decided to highlight a relatively new coffee company in the area that specializes in take out.
Complex Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company that only does ready-to-drink (RTD) canned coffee drinks. They started in June 2025, and you may have even seen them at Mile of Music. I wish I had. Sadly, I didn’t discover them until just this past February, when I saw Jake, the owner, sampling them at Urban Market in Neenah during the Warm Your Heart event. My column is only supposed to be 500 words, and that is not enough to explain how excited I am to have found this company. These aren’t corporate coffees canned at some global warehouse and shipped across the country. These are cafe-quality drinks made with care and thoughtfulness that just happen to be served in a can and are made right here in Appleton.
If you’ve followed my socials, you’ll know I have long advocated for and loved coffee and citrus together. Whether it’s the Mazagron from Whisk & Arrow, my beloved espresso tonic, or the espresso-orange juice trend of a few years ago, citrus and coffee just work. To the uninitiated, it sounds weird, but once you try a well-made version, you’ll understand. That’s where Complex Coffee and their Squeezy line come in. Currently, there are two options in the Squeezy line: lemon or grapefruit, each offering a perfect balance of coffee, fruit, and sugar for a refreshing treat.
Coffee is primarily known and associated with warmth and comfort, rightfully so. However, there is no reason it can’t also be known as a refreshing thirst quencher. “A drink that tastes like sunshine and feels like possibility” and “reimagining what coffee can be” are two phrases you can find on the Complex Coffee website, and that’s exactly what they are doing. Now, don’t get me wrong — these aren’t brand-new inventions. The Mazagron I mentioned above has been around since about 1840, but bringing these drinks to the RTD market and trying to change the mass mindset that coffee can be refreshing and still coffee-forward, is relatively new. Not to mention, quite a tall task.
So, I’m giving you homework today — probably the easiest and most enjoyable homework assignment you’ve ever had. If you’re on socials, give Complex Coffee Roasters a follow, then go to their website for a list of locations that sell their product. My short list is Urban Market in Neenah; Wagner Market in Oshkosh; Jacobs Meat Market or Emery & Pearl, both in Appleton. Buy yourself a can and try it with an open mind. If you aren’t quite ready for a Squeezy, try one of their seasonal oat milk lattes or the Natural Ethiopian black coffee, which is also the base coffee for the Squeezy line.
This article was originally published in the May 2026 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
