What's Brewing this International Coffee Day?

In a world that often starts with a cup of coffee, Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) has managed to transform a simple morning ritual into a lifestyle statement. From its humble beginnings in Jaipur in 2017 to its ambitious expansion plans spanning continents, NBC has positioned itself as a trailblazer in India’s burgeoning coffee culture. Co-founder Anand Jain offers an inside look into the brand’s inspiring journey, its signature innovations, and its vision for the future.

A Passion for Brewing Perfection
In 2017, childhood friends Akshay Kedia, Anand Jain, Shubham Bhandari, and Ankesh Jain set out on a mission to revolutionize the coffee experience in India. The brand was born out of a love for coffee and a vision to serve it with a touch of innovation. Starting with a single outlet on Tonk Road in Jaipur, the founders were determined to make freshly brewed coffee accessible to everyone.

“We’ve always believed that coffee is more than just a beverage; it’s a way of life. At NBC, our goal has always been to deliver a premium coffee experience while keeping it approachable and affordable for our customers,” says Anand Jain, Co-founder of NBC.

Their approach was straightforward yet ambitious: blend global coffee trends with flavors that resonate with Indian palates, and create a space where people could enjoy every sip of their favorite beverage. With a menu boasting over 100 beverages, NBC quickly carved out a niche in the competitive quick-service restaurant (QSR) market.

A Signature Innovation
At the heart of NBC’s success is its unique creation—the Shrappe, a delightful blend of frappe and shake. This signature drink has become synonymous with the brand, offering a creamy, indulgent experience that appeals to coffee enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike.

“Our Shrappe is not just a drink; it’s a testament to our dedication to quality and creativity,” shares Jain. “It embodies everything NBC stands for: innovation, flavor, and an uncompromising commitment to excellence.”

With flavors like Hazelnut Shrappe, Lotus Biscoff Shrappe, and the classic Creamy Shrappe, the brand continues to push boundaries, setting a new standard in the Indian coffee market.

A Rapidly Expanding Retail Footprint
Since opening its first outlet, NBC has experienced exponential growth. Today, the brand boasts 71 outlets across India, including a newly launched international location in Portugal. By 2025, NBC plans to expand to 80 new outlets, with a long-term vision of opening 400 outlets worldwide, including 150 across Europe.

“We’re focused on making premium coffee accessible to a wider audience, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities,” says Jain. “Our expansion is not just about numbers; it’s about bringing the NBC experience to as many people as possible.”

India’s Evolving Coffee Culture
In a traditionally tea-centric nation, coffee is now becoming a staple, especially among younger consumers. NBC has been at the forefront of this cultural shift, capturing the imagination of India’s youth with its innovative offerings and experiential spaces.

“Younger consumers are redefining coffee culture in India. They’re curious about different blends, brewing techniques, and global trends. Coffee is no longer just a drink—it’s a part of their lifestyle,” notes Jain.

From specialty brews to cold brews and plant-based milk options, Indian consumers are increasingly aligning their preferences with global coffee trends. NBC has skillfully adapted to these changing tastes by offering a mix of global innovations and local flavors.

Sustainability and the Future of Coffee in India
As coffee culture deepens in India, sustainability has emerged as a key trend. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental and ethical aspects of their coffee choices, from bean sourcing to packaging.

“Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it’s the future of coffee. At NBC, we are committed to using ethically sourced beans and exploring eco-friendly packaging options to meet the growing demand for conscious consumption,” says Jain.

Over the next 3-5 years, Jain predicts a surge in demand for specialty and artisanal coffee, along with a growing preference for plant-based milk options like oat and almond milk. Experiential spaces offering immersive brewing experiences are also likely to become more mainstream, further enriching India’s coffee landscape.

The Role of Innovation in NBC’s Success
Innovation has been a cornerstone of NBC’s strategy since its inception. From crafting unique beverages to introducing experiential spaces, the brand continually evolves to stay ahead of the curve.

“Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s creating new drinks, adopting sustainable practices, or enhancing the customer experience, we’re always looking for ways to push the boundaries of what’s possible,” shares Jain.

A Global Vision
As NBC sets its sights on international markets, its mission remains the same: to deliver exceptional coffee experiences that delight and inspire. The upcoming flagship stores in Europe will serve as a testament to the brand’s ability to blend local flavors with global trends, bringing the NBC magic to a broader audience.

“We’re not just building a brand; we’re building a community of coffee lovers who appreciate quality, creativity, and innovation,” says Jain. “Our journey has just begun, and we’re excited to share it with the world.”

Brewing Success, One Cup at a Time
Nothing Before Coffee has come a long way from its modest beginnings in Jaipur. With a menu that delights the senses, a commitment to sustainability, and an unwavering focus on innovation, NBC is well on its way to becoming a global coffee powerhouse. As it continues to grow, the brand remains true to its mission of delivering excellence and redefining the coffee experience for millions.

In the words of Anand Jain, “At NBC, we don’t just brew coffee; we brew connections, experiences, and memories. That’s the essence of who we are.”

In an e-mail interview with Namrata Asthana, Co-founder of Blue Tokai, she spoke about how Blue Tokai grown from 1 kilogram coffee roasting machine to 12 Kilograms of Probat machines, the growth of single-origin artisanal coffee market and Blue Tokai’s expansion plans across the country.

Could you please brief me your journey and the roadblocks you encountered while establishing your brand?

When we started coffee roasting in 2013, we had a small 1 kg machine that had us roasting for twelve to fourteen hours straight on most nights because of how small it was. Though we have grown, both, the size of the roasters (we now roast on two 12 kilograms Probat machines) and the team, we continue to spend as much time, energy and resources on constantly pushing our roasting quality forward.

We currently have 22 cafes across India and will be starting 10 more this year. We also have roasteries and coffee training centres in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. The biggest challenge for us initially had to do with logistics. It is still a challenge that we face since we work with courier partners and can't control that aspect of our customer's experience. Additionally, the Indian market was, and still is, very comfortable drinking instant coffee. Although it has been difficult to tap into the instant coffee market, our customer base has been very experimental. We stress the importance of freshly roasted coffee that is devoid of any preservatives and artificial flavours and have also introduced the Channi method which is a way to brew our coffee at home without having to invest in any equipment but rather with the help of a tea strainer.

In your opinion how the consumption pattern of coffee has taken a different path today in India? Why do you think is happening?

We think there is an immense growth opportunity for artisanal coffee in India as a lot of the coffee produced here can share the same stage as coffee produced in other parts of the world. We started Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters six years ago when we were looking for high quality Indian grown Arabica that was freshly roasted. We couldn't find anything around us and since Matt had roasted coffee in the US before, we decided to visit coffee farms and get some coffee to sample roast ourselves. We were a bit tired of getting Indian coffee that had been roasted months ago or imported coffee that was extremely expensive due to the import duty.

Since then there's been a rise in appreciation for single - origin and artisanal coffee. Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters started with the goal to highlight Indian coffee by getting it directly from the farm and delivering it to our customers. Currently, the coffee landscape in India features many more roasters and a far wider range of choices for coffee consumers in India.

What are the different brewing techniques you use?

We use various brewing techniques at our cafes and also offer coffee classes for customers to learn and find their favourite brewing technique. We have also realised that choosing coffees or brewing equipment that is the right match for our customers can be tough. To make this process easy, fun and stress-free, we have introduced our Coffee Play Bars in our Saidulajab, Bangalore and Jaipur cafes. As the name suggests, these bars are for our customers to play around with coffee equipment, grinds and roasts to make a choice that's perfect for them.

How do you differentiate your product from others?

The USP of our brand is to share as much information as possible with our customers. This is essential to us because we have an education and awareness component to our business. A part of this we are constantly promoting transparency and traceability whether it has to do with sharing information about our farms or encouraging customers to play around with various brewing equipment at our Coffee Play Bars to see what works best for them.

We conduct trainings in brewing and roasting and also provide an annual Farm Tour, and customers are always welcome to talk to our baristas about any of their brewing questions, or to participate in a roastery Tours to learn more about our roasting process.
 

How sustainable is the coffee industry today in India?

Most of the India coffee brands are taking the sustainable route in their operations but since India as a market is still learning and adapting to the eco-friendly way, we still have a long way to go.

What is the road ahead for Blue Tokai?

We’ll be opening up a number of new cafes in our existing markets as well as layering on technology to our existing café operations which will improve the customer experience, and quality and consistency of our products.