Beanly: Fresh Brew, Big Ambitions
From startups to stores, Beanly’s Samyesh Khanna and Rahul Jain elevate India's coffee culture by making freshly brewed coffee a daily delight
In a nation steeped in ‘chai’ traditions, two young entrepreneurs, Samayesh Khanna and Rahul Jain, Co-founders of Beanly, get on a mission to make freshly brewed coffee accessible to India's vast market. Their ambitious vision of making freshly brewed coffee an everyday beverage for millions of Indians represents more than just a business endeavour. It's a cultural shift in the making, one cup at a time.
Founded in 2019, Beanly began with a simple yet ambitious goal: to change how Indians perceive and consume freshly brewed coffee. “The largest problem statement in India that we saw was there were roasters cropping up left, right and centre. But nobody was addressing this one problem of how to make freshly brewed coffee easily accessible,” Khanna recalls.
Their solution? The easy-pour coffee bag, a product that later became their signature offering and attracted the attention of established coffee brands. “We created a product which revolutionised the way the Indian market perceived freshly brewed coffee,” Khanna states.
However, like many startups, Beanly’s early days were marked by financial constraints. This led the duo to pivot towards a B2B model, manufacturing for prominent names in the Indian coffee industry. “Because of the lack of funds, a large part of our business was B2B first. We were manufacturing for the likes of Blue Tokai, Third Wave Coffee -- anybody in the coffee industry who came to build a bean-to-cup at-home product with us,” Khanna admits.
The B2B focus allowed Beanly to develop its manufacturing capabilities. Khanna boasts, “We built India's first nitro flush pour-over bag manufacturing line, the first of its kind. We built the world's first line which packed two bags and sealed oxygen.”
New Gen of Coffee Drinkers
Beanly's target audience is clear -- the millennials and Gen Z. “We are a population which is largely dominated by Gen Zs and millennials, with an average age of around 28 years. We are going to transition from being largely tea drinking to being a tea drinking nation which consumes a lot of coffee,” Khanna shares.
The company’s strategy is not to convert instant coffee drinkers per se but to enhance the overall coffee experience for consumers. As Jain explains, “Our mission has always been to elevate everyday coffee enjoyment. That's why we continue to develop our FMCG line alongside expanding our coffee store presence.”
The Turning Point
The turning point came in 2021 when Beanly raised its first external capital. The infusion allowed the company to transition from an OEM manufacturer to a consumer-facing brand. Khanna reveals, “2021 onwards, the brand grew. The brand business grew 100 per cent year-over-year by being pack positive.”
Having closed the last financial year at around Rs 8-8.5 crore, the co-founders are aiming for a revenue of Rs 20 crore in the current fiscal year. The target is supported by a strategic shift towards an omnichannel presence, including the launch of its first offline store.
The move into brick-and-mortar retail marks a new chapter for the previously online-first brand. Jain describes the transition as “both exciting and challenging.” He adds, “It felt like entering a whole new world with different dynamics and a steep learning curve. However, building something from the ground up was incredibly rewarding, as it allowed us to develop new processes and track different metrics.”
Challenges
In a market dominated by instant coffee and with a strong tea-drinking culture, Beanly faces the task of converting consumers to freshly brewed coffee. However, Jain sees this not as a conversion challenge but as an opportunity to enhance overall coffee experiences. He explains, “Our strategy isn't focused on converting instant coffee drinkers per se, but rather on enhancing their overall coffee experience, both at home and in our stores.”
Beanly’s approach to this challenge is multifaceted. They've positioned their coffee stores in what Jain calls the ‘masstige’ space accessible to the masses but with an upscale feel. “Our mission is to provide value-for-money coffee without lowering the quality or experience,” he states. It allows them to maintain a premium brand perception while reaching a larger audience.
Innovation remains at the core of Beanly’s operations. The company prides itself on its use of technology across various aspects of the business, from customer relationship management to product development and supply chain optimisation.
Expansion Plan
The company’s immediate expansion plans are centred on establishing a strong presence in Delhi and NCR before scaling to other regions. As Beanly navigates the transition from an online-first to an omnichannel model, they face the ongoing challenge of balancing quality, convenience and affordability.
Jain acknowledges the importance of convenience in today’s world. “We've implemented efficient brewing methods and streamlined operations at our stores to serve freshly brewed coffee in minimal time. Additionally, our FMCG line continues to provide convenient, high-quality coffee solutions for those who prefer the ease of making it at home or on the go,” he shares.
Looking ahead, the company sees immense potential in the Indian coffee market. Khanna is optimistic about the future. He believes, “It’s absolutely a brilliant time to be building in coffee or to be building anything that millennials and Gen Z are going to consume over the next ten years.” He envisions a ‘fourth wave’ in coffee, focused on building mass-premium brands for the Indian market.
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