Tpot

TPOT, operating under the legal name Shivanta Agro Foods Private Limited, is a New Delhi-based startup founded in 2013 by Robin Jha, Asad Khan, and Atit Verma. The company was established to address a gap in the Indian beverage market for accessible, cafe-style tea and snacks, or 'chai-nashta'. The founders, including CEO Robin Jha, a former chartered accountant at Ernst & Young, identified the market's potential, noting that while tea is consumed eight times more than coffee in India, the organized cafe space was underserved. This insight, coupled with Jha's interactions with entrepreneurs during his corporate career, sparked the venture.

TPOT operates a chain of quick-service beverage outlets, primarily targeting corporate employees and commuters in high-traffic urban locations. Its business model revolves around offering a wide variety of freshly brewed teas and complementary snacks in a modern, hygienic, cafe-like environment. This strategy directly contrasts with the often unhygienic roadside tea stalls and the expensive options in high-end hotels. The company generates revenue through direct sales at its physical outlets, which have been strategically placed in locations like corporate parks, metro stations, and airports within the Delhi/NCR region. By 2018, the company had expanded to 27-30 outlets.

The company's product line features over 100 types of tea, including black, green, herbal, oolong, and white teas, alongside a menu of snacks. TPOT’s expansion has been supported by several funding rounds. After an initial investment of Rs 40 lakh from the founders, they secured an undisclosed amount of seed funding in May 2016 from Ashish Gupta, the co-founder of Evalueserve. This was followed by further investment in November 2016 from Benori Ventures and another round in March 2018 from the Chandigarh Angels Network, with total funding reaching approximately $805K. These funds were earmarked for expanding the number of outlets, team growth, and product development.

Keywords: tea cafe, chai nashta, quick service restaurant, Indian beverage market, food and beverage startup, Robin Jha, Delhi NCR, corporate catering, tea retail chain, QSR India, fast-casual, cafe chain, startup funding, Ashish Gupta, Chandigarh Angels Network, Benori Ventures