Nothing Before Coffee (NBC)

What Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) does

Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) is an Indian quick-service coffee chain founded in 2017 in Jaipur by four friends and operated through the legal entity NBC Beverages Inc. The company runs an asset-light retail network of 115+ outlets across 39+ Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indian cities, offering over 100 beverage options at affordable price points (cappuccino around ₹70) under a mass-premium positioning that targets value-conscious young consumers underserved by premium café chains. NBC combines company-owned and franchise outlets with a proprietary mobile application for ordering, a tiered NBC Rewards Club / Bean Club loyalty program (5-12% coin earning), and a Shopify-based e-commerce channel selling five flavors of instant coffee and branded tumblers.

The business model spans three revenue streams: per-transaction QSR coffee sales (mature outlets reporting 65% gross margins and 28% EBITDA margins, with 100% of stores EBITDA-positive), packaged product and merchandise sales via direct e-commerce, and a recently launched Super Coffee Pass subscription at ₹1,799 designed to drive recurring digital engagement. Distribution is omnichannel but physical-retail-led, supplemented by a mobile app and Shopify storefront. Marketing combines organic social, app-led promotions, and a notable 2026 appearance on Amazon Prime Video / MX Player's 'Bharat Ke Super Founders' that delivered both brand reach and on-air funding commitments.

NBC has raised approximately $3M+ in disclosed funding across multiple rounds: a $2.3M pre-Series A led by Prath Ventures in 2025 (with Mars Shot Ventures, SYL Investments, and WarmUp Ventures participating), ₹3.7 crore from the Bharat Ke Super Founders appearance in February 2026 (including a 0.27% equity stake taken by All in Capital and structured debt with 12% revenue share), and a ₹3 crore bridge round led by Atom XVII (a Category II AIF) in June 2026. The stated strategic ambition is to scale to 160 stores by December 2026 and 400 stores by 2028, deepening presence in India's underserved non-metro markets.

Name

Nothing Before Coffee (NBC)

Legal name

NBC Beverages Inc

Website

https://nothingbeforecoffeeindia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) is an Indian quick-service coffee chain operating 115+ outlets across 39+ cities, serving value-conscious young consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets with affordable premium coffee, packaged instant products, and a mobile loyalty and subscription platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Coffee Chain

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)

Keywords

• Quick service coffee
• Specialty coffee chain
• Instant coffee products
• Branded coffee merchandise
• Coffee subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Jaipur

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Physical Store Coffee Sales: QSR-style takeaway coffee sales from physical outlets. Stores operate with 65% gross margins and 28% EBITDA margins at mature outlets. All stores reported as 100% EBITDA-positive.
2. E-commerce Product Sales: Online sales of instant coffee products (Belgian, Irish, Regular, French Vanilla, Hazelnut flavors) and branded merchandise (tumblers). Products sold through the company's Shopify e-commerce platform.
3. Super Coffee Pass Subscription: Subscription product at ₹1,799 for digital loyalty and recurring revenue generation. Part of the company's strategy to diversify revenue streams beyond physical store expansion.
4. Loyalty Program Coins: NBC coins earned on purchases that can be redeemed against bill payments. Each coin holds ₹1 value. Generates repeat purchase behavior and customer stickiness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) operates a quick-service coffee chain (115+ outlets across 39+ Indian Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities) selling freshly brewed coffee and over 100 beverage options at affordable 'mass-premium' prices (cappuccino around ₹70). It complements in-store sales with a Shopify e-commerce store retailing instant coffee (Belgian, Irish, Regular, French Vanilla, Hazelnut), branded merchandise such as tumblers, and a digital Super Coffee Pass subscription at ₹1,799.

Product overview

Nothing Before Coffee (NBC) is a neighborhood café chain founded in 2017 by four friends in Jaipur, operating as a quick-service coffee model focused on affordable premium coffee. The company offers over 100 beverage options including espressos, Shrappe creations, iced coffees, and seasonal specialties. NBC's product portfolio consists of physical coffee shops (100+ outlets across 39+ cities as of early 2026), an NBC Mobile App for ordering and payments, NBC Instant Coffee retail products (Belgian, Irish, Regular, French Vanilla, and Hazelnut flavors in 50g packs), and branded merchandise tumblers (Blue, Daddy, Green, Pink variants). The company complements its core café business with a Rewards Club/Bean Club loyalty program featuring tiered levels (Rookie, Litt, Icon, G.O.A.T.) earning 5%-12% coins on purchases, and a Super Coffee Pass subscription at ₹1,799 for digital engagement and revenue diversification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NBC Bean Club: Loyalty program where customers earn NBC coins with every purchase and redeem them towards bill payments. Each NBC coin holds a value of ₹1.
• NBC Rewards Club
• Super Coffee Pass

Products and services

• NBC Coffee Shops (Quick-Service Cafés) Quick-service coffee chain operating 115+ outlets across 39+ Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indian cities, serving over 100 beverages including espressos, Shrappe creations, iced coffees, shakes, and seasonal specials for dine-in, takeaway, and self-pickup. Targeted at young, value-conscious consumers seeking premium-quality coffee at near-$1 pricing (cappuccino around ₹70).
• NBC Instant Coffee (Belgian, Irish, Regular, French Vanilla, Hazelnut) Retail instant coffee products made with 100% Arabica beans, sold through the NBC Shopify e-commerce store in 50g packs: Belgian Instant Coffee (₹500), Irish Instant Coffee (₹500), Regular Instant Coffee (₹450), French Vanilla Instant Coffee (₹500), and Hazelnut Instant Coffee. Intended for consumers who want to recreate NBC's coffee at home.
• NBC Branded Merchandise (Tumblers) Reusable branded tumblers sold through the NBC e-commerce store in multiple variants: Blue Tumbler (₹1,249), Daddy Tumbler (₹1,700), Green Tumbler, and Pink Tumbler. Targeted at NBC brand fans and repeat coffee consumers.
• Super Coffee Pass Subscription Digital subscription product priced at ₹1,799, designed to drive recurring engagement and customer retention by offering ongoing value to frequent NBC coffee drinkers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% EBITDA-positive stores with 65% gross margins and 28% EBITDA margins at mature outlets
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Café Coffee Day: India's largest domestic coffee chain historically operating 1,700+ outlets, providing a wide-affordable coffee experience across metros and Tier 2/3 cities. Directly comparable to NBC on QSR takeaway coffee model and geographic footprint, though CCD's footprint is more metro-skewed and broader in food offerings.
• Tata Starbucks: Joint venture between Tata and Starbucks operating premium coffee stores across India, primarily in metros and large Tier 2 cities. Comparable to NBC on specialty coffee retail model and price-conscious customer capture, though positioned at a meaningfully higher price tier and concentrated in tier-1 markets.
• Barista Coffee: Established Indian coffee chain (originally acquired by Lavazza) operating cafés across multiple Indian cities with espresso-led menu. Comparable to NBC in espresso-based coffee chain operations, mid-priced positioning, and physical retail café model, though at smaller current scale.

Emerging players

• Third Wave Coffee: Specialty Indian coffee chain raising venture capital and expanding rapidly across metros and larger cities with a single-origin, third-wave positioning. Comparable to NBC's specialty coffee retail model with a more premium price point and Tier-1 city focus.
• Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters: Specialty Indian coffee roaster and café chain selling single-origin beans plus operating cafés in metros. Comparable to NBC in Indian specialty coffee category, with a more premium positioning and a stronger packaged-goods/wholesale channel alongside cafés.
• SLAY Coffee: Direct-to-consumer and café-format Indian specialty coffee brand offering instant coffee and café experiences targeted at young consumers. Comparable to NBC in instant coffee packaged products plus café presence with affordable premium Indian positioning.

Direct peers

• Chaayos: Indian QSR chai-coffee chain offering customizable beverages at affordable price points across 100+ outlets, with a strong focus on technology-driven ordering and Tier 1/2 city presence. Closely comparable to NBC's QSR coffee model, affordable pricing, mobile-led customer engagement, and multi-city expansion strategy.

Regional players

• Indian Coffee House: Heritage cooperative-style Indian coffee chain with hundreds of outlets especially across Eastern and Southern India, known for affordable coffee and light snacks. Comparable to NBC in affordable QSR coffee category with strong regional density and value positioning.
• Hatti Kaapi: South Indian coffee chain specializing in affordable filter coffee takeaways with multiple outlets across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Comparable to NBC on affordable Indian coffee retail takeaway model and quick-service format, though concentrated in Southern India.
• Coffee Culture: North-Indian casual dining and coffee café chain operating across multiple cities with affordable menu pricing. Comparable to NBC in affordable Indian café format and multi-city footprint, though broader in food offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NBCcoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/nothingbeforecoffeeindia
• Instagraminstagram.com/nothingbeforecoffeeindia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nothing Before Coffee (NBC)