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Nothing Before Coffee raises $ 2.3 mn in Pre-Series A to accelerate expansion in Tier-II & Tier-III cities
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Thursday, 17 April, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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India’s dynamic and fast-growing QSR coffee chain, Nothing Before Coffee (NBC), has raised $ 2.3 million in a Pre-Series A funding round, led by Prath Ventures. The round also saw participation from SYL Investments. This marks a major milestone in NBC’s journey as it continues to redefine India’s café culture by focusing on Tier-II and Tier-III cities—a segment largely untapped by premium coffee players. Additionally, it reported its “Best-ever Fiscal year 2025.” Fuelled by new store launches, innovative offerings, and growing brand loyalty. The brand’s seasonal offerings and unique brews have been particularly well received, contributing to this growth.
Founded in 2017 in Jaipur by Ankesh Jain, Anand Jain, Akshay Kedia, and Shubham Bhandari, it has rapidly evolved from a small, cosy café into a national brand with a footprint of 85+ outlets across India. At the heart of NBC’s success is its mission to serve high-quality, affordable coffee in vibrant spaces that resonate with India’s youth.
While most players are concentrating on Tier-I cities and premium offerings, NBC is disrupting the market with accessible pricing, India-centric coffee innovations like the ‘Shrappe’ (a desi twist on a frappe), and aspirational café spaces that serve as community hubs for young consumers.
“This funding milestone is a strong validation of our vision and operating model. At Nothing Before Coffee, we've built a brand that combines affordability, quality, and deep cultural resonance—especially in India’s Tier-II and Tier-III markets. With strong unit economics and consistent consumer love, we are now well-positioned to scale rapidly. The capital will help us deepen our presence, invest in technology and talent, and unlock the next phase of growth as we work towards becoming India’s most loved and accessible coffee chain,” said Ankesh.
Piyush Goenka, founder of Prath Ventures, said, “As a fund, we’ve long believed in the growing demand for coffee and vibrant café experiences across India — not just in metros, but well beyond Tier-1 cities. In all our research, NBC consistently stood out for the vibrance in their cafés, the affordability of their pricing, and the quality of their offerings. What truly sealed the deal was the passion and drive of the founding team, which made this a compelling and exciting opportunity for us, as we love to partner with enthusiastic like-minded founders.”
Shikha Toshniwal, co-founder and investment banking head, Pareto Capital, said, “The Indian café market is ripe for innovation, and emerging brands like NBC are leading the way. As bankers, our role is to back such disruptors with the capital they need to scale. NBC has built strong brand recognition in a short time, and we wish them success in becoming India’s most loved coffee café brand.”
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