Deepika Padukone invests in India’s most loved specialty coffee company Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

National, September 15, 2023: Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, India’s largest specialty coffee brand, today announced that global entertainment icon, Deepika Padukone, has joined hands with the company as its latest investor. This investment is part of the company’s Series B funding round, and adds Deepika Padukone’s investment entity Ka Enterprises to its portfolio alongside A91 Partners, Anicut Capital, 8i Ventures, DSP Blackrock, Negen Capital, Mauryan Capital and White Whale Ventures.

This investment comes at a time when Blue Tokai marks 10 years of helping kickstart the specialty coffee culture in India. With its unparalleled product portfolio and strong presence across the value chain, the brand has cemented its leadership position in the specialty coffee segment with continued growth, customer love and investor affinity.

“As someone who is immensely passionate about homegrown brands and deeply values authenticity and transparency, investing in Blue Tokai was an evident choice. We have followed the brand’s growth very closely over the past decade and observed their vision and commitment to quality and innovation and are therefore thrilled to partner with them on their journey of making Indian specialty coffee accessible, delivering unparalleled coffee experiences and putting it on the global map.”

Deepika Padukone, Founder, Ka Enterprises

“We are glad to welcome Deepika and Ka Enterprises to the Blue Tokai family! Their thorough understanding of the D2C space and strategic investments are a testament to their strong business acumen and we are excited to have them join us on our next phase of growth. This year, we are taking experimentation, quality, accessibility and convenience a notch higher and the current growth metrics are a true indication of the success to follow.”

Matt Chitharanjan, Co-Founder and CEO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

“The coffee industry in India is in an extremely interesting phase right now, and with Blue Tokai leading the specialty coffee movement, we’re experiencing a remarkable shift in consumer preferences. The brand has created a legacy of its own and the current online and offline expansion are a true reflection of the impending demand in India and abroad.”

Jigar Shah, Director - Head of Investments, Ka Enterprises

At present, the brand operates in India and Japan with 4 roasteries, over 80 physical outlets across major Indian cities and regions including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad,

Kolkata, Chandigarh, Mohali and Pune as well as regular pop-ups in Tokyo. With a varied range of offerings across roasted coffee beans, FMCG-friendly easy-to-brew & ready-to-drink products and gifting options, the brand is the preferred choice for coffee-lovers, no matter where they are. Blue Tokai also has strong B2B partnerships with the country's marquee retail outlets, luxury hotels & restaurants, top corporates and co-working spaces amongst others.

About Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters is India’s largest specialty coffee brand, with its headquarters in Gurgaon, India. Launched in 2013 as a roastery, Blue Tokai’s vision is to make great quality Indian coffee more accessible across formats. As pioneers of specialty coffee in India, Blue Tokai has been instrumental in shaping the evolving coffee culture in the country, at par with global standards.

Over the years, the company has evolved and expanded its operations with standalone cafés and roasteries across India. Currently, the brand is home to 4 roasteries, over 80 physical outlets across major Indian cities and regions including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Mohali and Pune, as well as international operations in Japan. In addition to these, Blue Tokai has also partnered with the country's marquee retail outlets, luxury hotels & restaurants, top corporates and co-working spaces amongst others.

With continued support from key investors like A91 Partners, Anicut Capital, 8i Ventures, DSP Blackrock, Negen Capital, Mauryan Capital and White Whale Ventures, amongst others, Blue Tokai continues to lead the specialty coffee category in India, as it also aims to take India’s most-loved coffee to customers the world over.

The company ensures highest quality across its offerings, by sourcing the best quality Indian beans and roasting them with expertise to enhance flavours. Blue Tokai aims to make specialty coffee more accessible to consumers through its cafés, brewing classes, website and social media. So far, Blue Tokai has roasted more than 1.2 million kgs of coffee and served over 5 million cups, making it a customer-favourite. To know more, visit www.bluetokaicoffee.com.

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