From Home Roasting to Coffee Roastery Success
In a country where chai has been the undisputed king, a new challenger emerged—a brand that dared to disrupt India’s tea-dominant culture. Enter Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, a company that has become synonymous with specialty coffee in India.
Founded in 2013 by Matt Chitaranjan and Namrata Asthana, Blue Tokai set out to change the way Indians experience coffee. What began as a passion project soon evolved into a full-fledged mission to introduce premium, high-quality coffee to a nation still primarily brewing chai.
The Early Days: Crafting a Revolution, One Cup at a Time
Imagine a small 1 kg roasting machine in a home kitchen. Long nights were spent roasting beans, packing orders, and fulfilling the budding demand for something different—something that spoke of authenticity and quality. That’s how Blue Tokai began.
Matt and Namrata’s journey took a pivotal turn when they secured ₹3 crore in seed funding, enabling them to move from their humble kitchen to a warehouse in Saket. With a larger space came even greater ambitions. By 2013, the brand opened its first roastery in Delhi. Soon, Blue Tokai expanded into new cities, including Bombay, and even secured a kiosk at the Australian Embassy.
The early success wasn’t just about selling coffee—it was about educating a tea-loving nation on the nuances of coffee culture.
Cracking the Code: Blue Tokai’s Road to Success
1. Unwavering Focus on Quality
At the heart of Blue Tokai’s rapid rise lies its commitment to quality. Using pure Arabica beans, the brand ensures that each cup offers the same, consistent flavor profile across batches. Customers can taste the dedication to freshness with every sip—most deliveries in metro cities are fulfilled within 24 hours.
“At Blue Tokai, consistency isn’t just a goal—it’s our promise to our customers,” says co-founder Matt Chitaranjan.
2. Branding: More Than Just Coffee
Positioned as a premium coffee brand, Blue Tokai’s appeal extends far beyond its product. Their focus on branding and education resonates with a new generation of consumers. The company’s Instagram presence and website are built to create a community of coffee aficionados, guiding them through the intricate world of specialty coffee.
Blue Tokai’s commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing also plays a central role in their brand story. By including the names of the farmers on each packet, they’re connecting consumers directly to the source.
3. Strategic Expansion: Growing One Café at a Time
Blue Tokai’s growth strategy is as refined as their coffee. Their cafes are strategically placed in high-footfall areas across Tier 1 metro cities and emerging Tier 2 cities. Over the past 12 months, they’ve doubled their presence, with 130 outlets now serving fresh brews across India.
“We didn’t just want to open cafes. We wanted to create experiences,” says Namrata.
4. Targeting India’s New Coffee Drinkers
With a focus on young professionals aged 25-45, Blue Tokai has successfully onboarded an entirely new demographic of coffee drinkers. Their multi-channel approach, comprising 20% direct-to-consumer (D2C), 10% business-to-business (B2B), and 70% café-driven revenue, highlights the versatility of their business model.
Financial Growth and Future Outlook
As India’s coffee culture continues to grow, Blue Tokai is poised to capitalize on this surge. The specialty coffee market is expanding at a rate of 10-15% annually, and Blue Tokai is at the forefront of this trend. With Series C funding of $35 million and plans to open 220 new stores in the next three years, the future looks promising.
Their expansion into B2B and D2C channels further diversifies their revenue streams, solidifying their position as a dominant player in India’s coffee industry.
Conclusion: Shaping the Future of Coffee in India
Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters has redefined what it means to enjoy coffee in India. Through their unrelenting focus on quality, strategic growth, and forward-thinking branding, they’ve shifted coffee from a mere commodity to an experience.
As they continue to grow, expand, and innovate, Blue Tokai is not just serving coffee—they are shaping the future of coffee in India, one cup at a time.
