Nothing Before Coffee Raises ₹3.7 Crore on Bharat Ke Super Founders, Targets 160 Stores by December 2026; Launches Super Coffee Pass

Jaipur-based quick-service coffee chain Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) has secured ₹3.7 crore in on-air funding commitments during its appearance on the startup reality show Bharat Ke Super Founders, strengthening its expansion push across India’s Tier-II and Tier-III markets.

The company also unveiled plans to scale aggressively, aiming to reach 160 stores by December 2026, alongside the launch of its subscription-based Super Coffee Pass designed to deepen customer engagement and recurring revenue.

Funding Commitments Announced on the Show

During Episode 11 of Bharat Ke Super Founders, streamed on Amazon Prime Video and MX Player, NBC attracted investor interest backed by its profitability-focused expansion strategy.

The commitments included:

• ₹50 lakh investment from Aditya Singh, Founder of All In Capital, in exchange for 0.27% equity
• A ₹3.2 crore structured debt offer featuring a 12% revenue-share arrangement

The investment panel included prominent startup ecosystem leaders such as Dr. A. Velumani, Nitish Mittersain, and Shanti Mohan.

Investors highlighted the brand’s strong unit economics, profitability metrics, and positioning as a “Bharat-first” coffee chain targeting underserved markets beyond metro cities.

Profitability-Driven Coffee Expansion Model

Founded in 2017 by Akshay Kedia, Ankesh Jain, Anand Jain, and Shubham Bhandari, Nothing Before Coffee has built its strategy around affordable premium coffee tailored for emerging urban consumers.

Unlike many QSR chains prioritising rapid scale over profitability, NBC claims:

• 65% gross margins at store level
• 28% EBITDA margins at mature outlets
• 100% EBITDA-positive stores

The company attributes these metrics to a vertically integrated supply chain — sourcing beans from Chikmagalur, roasting in-house at its Jaipur facility, and distributing via a centralized warehouse system.

NBC currently operates 100+ outlets across 39+ cities in 12 states, establishing a significant presence outside metro markets.

Targeting Bharat’s Growing Coffee Consumption

Speaking about the milestone, Akshay Kedia, Co-founder of Nothing Before Coffee, said the company’s vision has always been to democratise premium coffee for non-metro India.

“We’re building more than a coffee chain; we’re creating community hubs for aspirational India. The response on Bharat Ke Super Founders validates our focus on strong unit economics and profitable scale.”

NBC differentiates itself through accessible pricing, youth-focused café spaces, and menu innovation, including its signature ‘Shrappe’ beverage — a hybrid shake-frappe offering.

With hot coffee priced at nearly $1 equivalent, NBC positions itself significantly below international coffee chains operating in India while maintaining a mass-premium appeal.

Expansion Roadmap: 400 Stores by 2029

The company operates under a COCO (Company Owned, Company Operated) model and has outlined an ambitious expansion strategy:

• 160 stores by December 2026
• Next 100-store milestone by 2027
• 400 stores nationwide by 2029

According to Ankesh Jain, Co-Founder, the show marked a validation of NBC’s broader consumption thesis.

“Our belief has always been that great coffee shouldn’t remain a metro-only luxury. The investor response reinforces that building for Bharat is where the future of consumption lies.”

Launch of Super Coffee Pass

Alongside expansion plans, NBC introduced the Super Coffee Pass, a subscription product priced at ₹1,799, offering benefits valued at approximately ₹3,600.

The initiative forms part of NBC’s broader growth strategy focused on:

• Subscription-led revenue models
• App-driven customer engagement
• Product innovation and new beverage launches
• Community-led in-store activations
• Backend supply chain optimisation

Building a Mass-Premium Coffee Brand

As India’s consumption growth increasingly shifts toward Tier-II and Tier-III cities, Nothing Before Coffee is positioning itself as a mass-premium café brand built around affordability and accessibility.

With a growing store network and profitability-led expansion model, the company is betting that everyday categories like coffee will drive the next phase of organised retail growth beyond metropolitan markets.