Restaurant India News: Nothing Before Coffee Raises Rs 3.7 Crore, Plans 400 Stores by 2029

Jaipur-based QSR chain Nothing Before Coffee has secured Rs 3.7 crore in on-air funding commitments during its appearance on Bharat Ke Super Founders, streamed on Amazon Prime Video and MX Player. The funding marks a strategic milestone as the brand accelerates expansion across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

The commitments include Rs 50 lakh for 0.27 percent equity from Aditya Singh, Founder of All In Capital, and a structured market offer of Rs 3.2 crore in debt with a 12 percent revenue share. The panel featured investors including Dr. A. Velumani, Nitish Mittersain, and Shanti Mohan.

Founded in 2017 by Akshay Kedia, Ankesh Jain, Anand Jain and Shubham Bhandari, NBC has built its model around affordable pricing and expansion into non-metro cities. The company operates more than 100 outlets across 39+ cities in 12 states and reports that 100 percent of its stores are EBITDA positive, with 65 percent gross margins and 28 percent EBITDA margins at mature outlets.

“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'.”

NBC positions itself in the mass-premium segment, with approximately 1 dollar price positioning. Its hot coffee is priced at nearly half that of several competitors and roughly one-third of international chains operating in India. The brand’s product mix includes its proprietary ‘Shrappe’ format and a youth-focused café environment.

Operationally, the company follows a vertically integrated model. Coffee beans are sourced from Chikmagalur, roasted at its Jaipur facility, and distributed through a centralized warehouse network. This structure supports cost control and consistency as the chain expands under a COCO (Company Owned Company Operated) format.

The company plans to scale to 160 stores by December 2026 and has outlined a long-term roadmap of 400 stores by 2029, with the next 100-store milestone targeted by 2027. To support growth, NBC has launched the Super Coffee Pass priced at Rs 1,799, offering benefits valued at Rs 3,600. Additional initiatives include app-led engagement, new beverage introductions, in-store community events, and backend supply chain optimization.

“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.”

NBC’s growth highlights the rising demand for organized café formats in emerging urban markets. As consumer spending expands beyond metros, affordable premium concepts backed by structured unit economics and controlled supply chains are increasingly attracting investor interest. The brand’s focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities positions it within a broader shift toward distributed retail growth across India’s next wave of consumption centres.