India’s dynamic and fast-growing QSR coffee chain, Nothing Before Coffee (NBC), has captured national investor attention following its appearance on Episode 11 of Bharat Ke Super Founders, streaming on Amazon Prime Video and MX Player. The Jaipur-based brand underpinned a robust model focused on Tier-II, and Tier-III markets, creating spaces that resonate deeply with India’s accessible coffee & youth culture.
Fueling this momentum, NBC has received two significant on-air commitments:
• Aditya Singh, Founder of All in Capital, offered ₹50 lakh for 0.27% equity • A structured market offer of ₹3.2 crore was proposed in the form of debt with a 12% revenue share.
These endorsements came from a distinguished panel including Dr. A. Velumani, Nitish Mittersain, Shanti Mohan, and other prominent voices from India’s startup ecosystem.
On the show, investors highlighted NBC’s clear visibility on unit economics, strong profitability across stores, underserved Bharat-first positioning, and a structured roadmap to national scale. The brand’s ability to maintain 100% stores EBITDA positive while expanding into challenging markets demonstrates the resilience of its model.
“Our journey has always been about taking premium coffee to the heart of India, beyond metros, into the cities where young India is discovering its love for quality brews,” said Akshay Kedia, Co-founder of Nothing Before Coffee. “The response on Bharat Ke Super Founders validates what we’ve built: a brand with strong unit economics, deep consumer connects, and a clear vision for profitable scale. We’re building more than a coffee chain; we’re building a community hub for aspirational India. With a clear roadmap to 400 stores by 2029. We’re excited to accelerate from here and emerge as India’s ‘Most Loved Coffee Café Brand’.”
The Bharat Coffee Play:
Since its founding in 2017 by Akshay Kedia, Ankesh Jain, Anand Jain and Shubham Bhandari, Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) has strategically elevated café culture in India by combining a youth focused vision with disciplined expansion into Tier-II and Tier-III cities. NBC differentiates itself through accessible pricing, a signature ‘Shrappe’ (Shake + Frappe (our own thickest frappe), and innovative menu, and vibrant spaces that foster community, moving beyond the premium coffee model to build ongoing loyalty among young consumers.
With approximately $1 price positioning, Nothing Before Coffee‘s hot coffee is priced at nearly half of other players and roughly one-third of international chains operating in India, reinforcing its mass premium positioning.
The company’s disciplined expansion model has delivered impressive financial metrics:
• 65% gross margins at store level
• 28% EBITDA margins at mature stores
• 100% stores EBITDA positive
This profitability is underpinned by a vertically integrated supply chain: NBC sources beans from Chikmagalur, roasts in-house at its Jaipur facility, and distributes through a centralized warehouse model, ensuring quality control and cost efficiency at scale. With 100+ outlets across 39+ cities in 12 states, NBC has built one of the most extensive youth-focused coffee networks beyond metro India.
Ambitious Plans for Pan-India Growth:
Operating under a COCO (Company Owned Company Operated) model, NBC has outlined an ambitious national expansion roadmap:
• 400 stores by 2029
• Next 100-store milestone by 2027
Beyond physical expansion, NBC is strengthening its revenue streams through strategic initiatives:
• Subscription-led growth with the newly launched Super Coffee Pass (priced at ₹1,799 with benefits worth ₹3,600)
• App-driven customer engagement to build digital loyalty
• Product innovation with new beverage variants
• Community-focused in-store activations that transform cafes into social hubs • Backend supply chain optimization to support scale
“Our appearance on Bharat Ke Super Founders was a pivotal moment for us, not just for the investment validation, but for affirming that our thesis of building for Bharat is exactly where the future of consumption lies. At Nothing Before Coffee, we’ve always believed that great coffee shouldn’t be a metro only luxury. The response from the investors and the viewership reinforces that our disciplined approach, profitable unit economics, 100% EBITDA-positive stores, and a deep connect with young India is the right formula for sustainable national scale. Said Ankesh Jain, Co-Founder, Nothing Before Coffee.”
With a solid foundation of over 100 outlets and a growing loyal customer base, Nothing Before Coffee is positioning itself as a mass-premium coffee brand tailored for India beyond metros. As the country’s
consumption story moves decisively toward Tier 2 and Tier 3 India, NBC is betting that affordable premiumization in everyday categories like coffee could unlock the next wave of retail growth.
About Nothing Before Coffee:
Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) was founded in 2017 with the mission to share the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee with everyone. Originating in Jaipur, NBC has rapidly expanded its footprint to 39+ cities across 12 states, including Jaipur, Bhilwara, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Sikar, Bikaner, Alwar, Beawar, Ranthambore, Vadodara, Surat, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Bangalore, Raichur, Hubballi, Gulbarga, Ballari, Bhilai, Raipur, Bilaspur, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Dehradun, Dimapur, Pune, and Nagpur. The brand believes coffee is not just a beverage but a way of life. After careful experimentation, the team perfected their signature blends, filling the missing piece in the Indian coffee experience. NBC sources the finest coffee beans and uses cutting-edge brewing techniques to ensure every cup served is of the highest quality. As a quick-service restaurant (QSR) model, NBC specializes in delivering a diverse menu of premium, accessible beverages and snacks, creating vibrant café spaces that resonate with India’s youth and evolving coffee culture.
