Kolkata Chai sells Indian masala chai through a New York store, DTC e-commerce, and pop-ups, positioning itself on authenticity. The company was built by brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal after years of bootstrapping and revenue from their agency business. In its first nine months the startup's DTC business generated about $160,000 in top-line revenue and it says it remained profitable through the pandemic. The founders are shifting toward an e-commerce-first model while keeping the New York store and using pop-ups as marketing. Future plans mentioned include potential expansion through acquisitions and growth via content and media to broaden their audience. The team emphasizes maintaining product quality and cultural authenticity as they scale.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

May 2022