SUMMARY
- First Coffee raised $1.2M seed funding led by BEENEXT to fuel expansion across India.
- It plans to open 35 small-format QSRs nationwide by Q2 next fiscal year.
- The firm is focusing on an AI-driven retail model and sustainable coffee sourcing techniques.
First Coffee, a specialty coffee startup, raised $1.2 million in its seed round, headed by BEENEXT. The company plans to use the money to fuel its expansion and expand its premium specialty coffee experience to more locations nationwide.
The firm’s primary focus will be on small format QSR locations in busy locations including shopping centers, corporate parks, main streets, and metro districts. By the second quarter of the following fiscal year, the company plans to open 35 locations nationwide. The money raised will also go toward expanding marketing initiatives and recruiting new staff.
Sohrab Sitaram and Shiv Dhawan-led First Coffee blends premium coffee with design, culture, and a novel customer experience. It combines AI-powered research with real-world big data to create a technologically advanced retail model. It asserts that its coffee is sourced responsibly while maintaining a high standard of quality by employing shade-grown coffee and environmentally friendly techniques including artificial lakes for irrigation and conventional bug traps.
The Indian coffee market is expected to increase at a 9.87% CAGR from 2024 to 2033, and reach $1227.47 million by 2032, according to Customer Market Insights.
