First Coffee raises $1.3M in pre-Series A round
What's the deal? Indian specialty coffee brand First CoffeeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised $1.3 million in a pre-Series A round led by Japanese venture capital firm DG Daiwa Ventures (DGDV)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. BEENEXT, Genesis LuxuryDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → co-founder Sanjay KapoorDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, BI GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → chairman Shashank Bhagat, and other angels also participated.
What's the endgame? Founded by Sohrab Sitaram and Shiv Dhawan in 2024, First Coffee runs a grab-and-go format that pairs premium coffee with convenience, using data-driven sourcing and menu engineering. It will use the funds to accelerate store openings, strengthen its corporate team, run marketing, and develop its product line.
By the numbers: The round takes First Coffee's total raised to $2.5 million. The company has grown to 25 stores across Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana since its previous funding round.
Where next? First Coffee plans to move beyond its current urban markets and enter Tier 2 cities to build a national presence. The round also marks DGDV's entry into India's specialty coffee market.
"We are glad to partner with First Coffee and fuel their ambition to change coffee culture in India," said Makoto Ibi, head of global investment at DGDV.
Why now? Sitaram previously founded and scaled KeventersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, experience investors cited as central to the brand's traction. First Coffee says it has recorded strong repeat rates among younger consumers, with a focus on cold coffee drinks and matcha.
"Over the last one year, First Coffee has built a very strong brand in North India, especially among younger consumers," said Anirudh Garg, partner at BEENEXT.
The signal: Foreign capital is entering India's specialty coffee segment, betting that younger urban consumers will carry premium café habits into smaller cities as brands look to scale nationally.
Read more: India Retailing
Image credit: coffee-rank
