The Buzz: A new food truck is serving up coffee, espresso at events across Appleton
APPLETON – In a season of cold weather and warm beverages, a local food truck franchise has added coffee to its lineup.
Jon and Kate Dietzen have been operating their Kona Ice franchise in the Fox Valley for 11 years. Kona Ice, which franchises 800 shaved ice trucks across the country, according to the company website, expanded into a new line of coffee trucks called Travelin' Tom's Coffee in 2021.
Last fall, the Dietzens took the plunge and opened their own Travelin' Tom's Coffee truck, bringing the truck to the Appleton Farmers Market on Oct. 29.
The response to the new coffee truck has been enthusiastic, the Dietzens said.
"Coffee people are nice people," Jon Dietzen said.
As his food truck business grows, Jon Dietzen aims to keep giving back to the community. He said he gives part of the profits back to schools and supports fundraising efforts by local PTOs and PTAs, along with showing up to serve coffee at craft fairs.
Another way to give back to the community? Handing out free treats. The Appleton Travelin' Tom's celebrated National Hot Chocolate Day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, with employees giving away free cups of hot chocolate at the WG&R Furniture Store on Wisconsin Avenue.
Jon Dietzen said he's considering hosting another "give-back" with Kona Ice on Tax Day.
You can look up Travelin' Tom's menu at travelintomscoffee.com, or find out where the Appleton truck is stopping next on Facebook.
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Contact Rebecca Loroff at 920-907-7801 or rloroff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton gets Travelin' Tom's Coffee truck | The Buzz
