It is the co-op’s vision to support and strengthen community connections with our local producers — so here are their stories! In this Meet Your Producer series, we will highlight our neighborhood farmers, ranchers and producers so you can see and hear what they’re all about.
Nerdy Cat Coffee
Colin Pilant
Lawrence, KS
Find them on instagram!
Colin and his cat Bo, adopted from the Lawrence Humane society 10 years ago and co-conspirator with Nerdy Cat Coffee.
Colin Pilant discovered cold brew through a friend who brewed it at home. When that friend moved away, Colin turned to bottled versions to satisfy his newfound craving, but it just wasn’t the same as a fresh cup.
So he started making his own.
He invested in a small Toddy and began experimenting with different types of coffee beans, different roasts and even water to create his perfect cold brew concentrate. Before long, he was sharing it with friends. In 2023, together with his cat Bo, Nerdy Cat Coffee officially launched with a home delivery service.
That same year, Colin expanded to wholesale grocery (like the co-op!). Eventually he switched exclusively to retail including partnerships with local restaurants like Northside Social, Lawrence Beer Company and the Basil Leaf Cafe.
Nerdy Cat also sponsors two adoptions at the Espurresso Cat Cafe with each year — Lawrence's first and only coffee shop featuring adoptable cats and kittens in partnership with the Lawrence Humane Society.
About the Coffee
Nerdy Cat Cold Brew Concentrate is made with just two ingredients: organic, fair trade coffee beans roasted by local Broadway Roastery and filtered water. Each batch brews for 24 hours at room temperature, a process that extracts different compounds than the hot brew process. This creates a smooth concentrate with up to 70% less acidity and more caffeine.
Find Nerdy Cat coffee in returnable glass mini-growlers and recyclable glass boston round bottles at the co-op!
"Providing a good product is my favorite part of what I do," Colin said. "It feels like magic—making something and getting the feedback that people enjoy it."