Category Archives: Coffee, Retail-India (wef. Jan 25th, 2025)

India’s Nothing Before Coffee raises $2.3m to fuel outlet growth

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The affordable coffee chain is seeking to reach more than 150 outlets across India’s Tier 2 and 3 cities by the end of 2026

Left to right: Nothing Before Coffee co-founders; Shubham Bhandari, Akshay Kedia, Anand Jain and Ankesh Jain | Photo credit: Nothing Before Coffee 

India’s Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) is gearing up for a fresh expansion drive after securing $2.3m in a pre-series A funding round led by Mumbai-based Prath Ventures. The round also saw participation from SYL Investments, Warmup Ventures & Mars Shot Ventures. 

In a press release, NBC said it would continue to target growth in India’s ‘largely untapped’ Tier 2 and 3 cities, where it says major coffee chains have yet to venture. The affordable coffee chain, which has previously sold promotional beverages for ₹99 ($1.18), reiterated its goal to resonate with younger Indian consumers and said it could reach 150 stores in India by the end of 2026. 

NBC also said the funding would be used to strengthen its digital platforms, which include an in-house app, invest in its supply chain and roll out new store formats, such as kiosks and smaller cafés.

“This funding milestone is a strong validation of our vision and operating model. At Nothing Before Coffee, we’ve built a brand that combines affordability, quality, and deep cultural resonance – especially in India’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. With strong unit economics and consistent consumer love, we are now well-positioned to scale rapidly,” said Ankesh Jain, Co-founder, Nothing Before Coffee.

Founded in Jaipur in 2017, Nothing Before Coffee operates more than 85 stores across 35 cities in India, alongside a single site in Portugal, which opened in April 2024. The value-focused coffee chain sources coffee from Chikmagalur and Coorg in India’s southern Karnataka state and roasts in-house to supply its store portfolio and direct-to-consumer channel. 

The coffee chain has previously stated it was seeking $4m to reach 400 sites in India by 2026 and facilitate planned expansion in Europe and the Middle East.

“As a fund, we’ve long believed in the growing demand for coffee and vibrant café experiences across India – not just in metros, but well beyond Tier-1 cities. In all our research, NBC consistently stood out for the vibrance in their cafés, the affordability of their pricing, and the quality of their offerings,” added Piyush Goenka, founder of Prath Ventures.

India’s burgeoning domestic coffee shop market has courted millions of dollar’s of investment over the last 18 months as operators rush to be the first to open stores in the country’s untapped urban areas.

Specialty coffee groups Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters and Subko Coffee Roasters have raised $35m and $10m respectively to scale their operations, while affordable operator abCoffee and specialty coffee start-up First Coffee raised $3.4m and $1.2m to accelerate the roll-out of their on-the-go focused store networks. 

In December 2024, Bangalore-based Fast Coffee raised $1m in a funding round led by venture capital firm Bloom International Ventures to fund plans to reach 10 stores by the end of 2025.

source: http://www.worldcoffeeportal.com / World Coffee Portal / Home> Industry Reports> India> Weekly Coffee Dose / April 17th, 2025

India International Coffee Festival 2025 brews up buzz in Bengaluru

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The festival celebrated India’s growing coffee culture and featured a vibrant mix of food stalls, lifestyle brands, and live music, creating a lively atmosphere for attendees.

The India International Coffee Festival (IICF) 2025 was held from April 25- 27 at Marakata, Chamara Vajra, on Jayamahal Main Road, Bengaluru. Organised by the Specialty Coffee Association of India (SCAI) with support from the Coffee Board of India, the event brought together some of the country’s finest brewers, baristas, and coffee enthusiasts.

Following its successful 2024 editions in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, the festival offered three days of competitions, discussions, entertainment, and interactive experiences. Highlights included the semi-finals and finals of the National Barista Championship (NBC), National Latte Art Championship, National Brewers Cup (NBrC), and the grand finale of the National Filter Coffee Championship.

DM Purnesh, President, Specialty Coffee Association of India (SCAI) said, “IICF has always been an inspiration for coffee lovers, industry experts, and brands. As we return with the much-anticipated semi-finals and finals, we’re proud to once again spotlight and celebrate the country’s finest coffee talent. With seasoned baristas, industry pioneers, and even discerning coffee critics in attendance, IICF 2025 promises to be an unmissable event for anyone passionate about the art of coffee.”

The festival celebrated India’s growing coffee culture and featured a vibrant mix of food stalls, lifestyle brands, and live music, creating a lively atmosphere for attendees. Experts, top growers, roasters, and equipment makers participated, sharing insights into brewing trends and innovations.

Sreeram G, Director, Marketing, Specialty Coffee Association of India (SCAI) said, “The India International Coffee Festival is not just about competition; it’s about connection. This festival serves as a dynamic platform for networking, innovation, and celebrating coffee as a lifestyle. It brings together coffee professionals, aficionados, and industry leaders to exchange ideas, explore emerging trends, and experience the rich intersection of coffee, cuisine, and craftsmanship.”

source: http://www.bwhotelier.com / BW Hotelier / Home> F&B / by BW Online Bureau / April 08th, 2025

India’s Chelvies Coffee raises $1m to support outlet growth

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Chelvies is the latest Indian specialty coffee start-up to attract investment and will use its Endurance Capital-led funding round to scale from six stores to 30 over the next 12 months

The interior of Chelvies Punjabi Bagh outlet in Delhi NCR | Photo credit: Chelvies/Facebook

Indian specialty coffee and all-day dining chain Chelvies Coffee has raised $1m in a pre-Series A funding round led by Endurance Capital, with an additional $500,000 in debt financing currently under process. 
 

Chelvies, which sources coffee from the Ratnagiri and Mandalkhan estates in Baba Budangiri, Chikmagaluru, opened its first store in 2023 and currently operates six outlets across Ahmedabad and Delhi NCR. The business, which is seeking to create a farm to cup coffee brand which ‘resonates with the cultural fabric of India’, will use the investment to scale its footprint to 30 outlets by 2026, primarily focusing on high street locations across India’s major metro cities. 


The Noida-based specialty coffee and all-day dining chain will also use funding to improve its supply chain infrastructure, strengthen its operational teams and develop food production capabilities. Alongside extensive specialty coffee and bakery ranges, Chelvies also offers an all-day dining menu of burgers, artisanal sandwiches, pizza and sharing platters prepared in-store and sells wholebean packaged specialty coffee on its website. 


“Since our launch, we have rigorously tested and perfected our concept through our presence in Delhi NCR and Ahmedabad, refining every aspect of the customer experience. This funding comes right at a time when we are all set to scale aggressively and bring our unique offering to key markets across India,” said Dhruv Singh, Founder and CEO, Chelvies Coffee. 


Investment in Indian coffee businesses has accelerated over the last 12 months, with fellow start-ups abCoffee, First Coffee and Fast Coffee all raising funds to scale their operations, establish new sales channels and enter new domestic markets.  


Additionally, more established brands such as Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Third Wave Coffee and Subko Coffee Roasters continue to attract new investment to increase their market share and scale their direct-to-consumer sales channels. 

source: http://www.worldcoffeeportal.com / World Coffee Portal / Home> Weekly Coffee News> India / January 13th, 2025