How Blue Tokai Made Indians Fall in Love with Coffee All Over Again
For decades, India has been a tea-drinking country, and coffee was relegated to instant mixes or filter coffee in the South. But in the last decade, one company shifted urban India's perception about coffee: Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters .
Started in 2013 by Matt Chitharanjan and Namrata Asthana . Blue Tokai started with a straightforward concept—why should Indians, residing in one of the world's greatest coffee-producing nations, tolerate subpar brews? The couple began small in their garage in Delhi, roasting beans and selling them through an online platform to a niche group of coffee enthusiasts. The "Blue Tokai" name, which was taken from the peacock's plumage, represents beauty and rich Indian heritage.
What differentiated Blue Tokai was its dedication to third-wave coffee
A movement centered on freshly roasted, traceable beans directly sourced from farmers. By eliminating intermediaries, the brand not only provided growers in areas such as Chikmagalur and Coorg with higher compensation but also taught consumers about where Indian coffee comes from and its flavors.
Blue Tokai is today a multi-channel business model with sales of beans and equipment through its app and website, management of more than 130 cafés in cities, distribution to hotels and restaurants, and subscription boxes for regular customers. Its cafés are now urban centers where young professionals, artists, and students converge for more than coffee they come for an experience.
The growth story has been phenomenal. From a niche start-up, Blue Tokai has grown very fast, raising \$65 million in funding between 2023–24 and revenues to over ₹216 crore. With new ready-to-drink offerings such as cold brews and bottled coffee, the brand is also tapping the convenience-led segment.
Outside of business, Blue Tokai has made a significant economic and cultural influence. It has made global Indians famous for their specialty coffee, created jobs for scores of young professionals, encouraged sustainable cultivation, and established a café culture to compete with international chains.
Of course, there are challenges: high city rents, reduced awareness in Tier 2 cities, and the pandemic effect on cafés. But with expansion plans in Tier 2 markets, global expansion, and sustainable packaging, the company is looking to grow in the long term.
From a garage in Delhi to a pan-India brand, Blue Tokai is more than just a coffee company—it is a movement that made Indians fall in love with coffee all over again.
