First Coffee bags $1.2 Mn in seed round led by BEENEXT

First Coffee, a speciality coffee brand, has raised $1.2 million in its seed round led by BEENEXT. 

The round also saw participation from other investors such as Ashish Gupta (Helion Venture Partners), AngelList India, Dr. Ritesh Malik (founder, Innov8), Sahil Malik (founder, Da Milano), Chandini Purnesh (Owner, Harley Coffee Estate), Aman Arora (co-Founder, Board – Keventers), Agastya Dalmia (director, Keventers), Aman Bahel (Apex Group), Nakul Dev Chawla (Art Mumbai) and Dr. Shriram Nene. 

The funds will drive the company’s expansion and bring its premium specialty coffee experience to more locations across the country, the company said in a press release. First Coffee aims to expand its store presence in key urban areas across New Delhi and NCR and tier I cities in North India. 

First Coffee will focus mainly on small format QSR outlets in high-footfall areas such as malls, corporate parks, high streets and metros. The company is set to open 35 stores across the country by the second quarter of next fiscal year. The funds raised will also be used for hiring and amplifying marketing efforts. 

Founded in 2023 by Sohrab Sitaram and Shiv Dhawan, First Coffee is a specialty coffee brand that opened its first outlet in Delhi NCR in April 2024. The company claims to source its coffee beans from Harley Coffee Estate in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. 

Off late, coffee chains have been grabbing investors’ attention. A few weeks ago, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters raised $35 Mn (about INR 293 Cr) in its Series C funding round led by Belgian investment firm Verlinvest.