Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone Invests in Blue Tokai Coffee
- ByStartupStory | September 15, 2023
Renowned Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has made a significant investment in Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, a leading Indian specialty coffee brand. While the exact amount of her investment remains undisclosed, it is part of Blue Tokai’s extended Series B funding round, during which the company successfully raised $30 million in January.
Padukone made this investment through her entity, Ka Enterprises, and joins a distinguished list of investors supporting Blue Tokai. This list includes prominent names like A91 Partners, Anicut Capital, 8i Ventures, DSP Blackrock, Negen Capital, Mauryan Capital, and White Whale Ventures.
In January, Blue Tokai announced its intention to utilize the funds to expand its business operations and strengthen its global presence in the specialty coffee market. Additionally, the company expressed its plans to introduce new Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) products.
Deepika Padukone, Founder of Ka Enterprises, expressed her enthusiasm for investing in Blue Tokai, stating, “As someone who is immensely passionate about homegrown brands and deeply values authenticity and transparency, investing in Blue Tokai was an evident choice…we are thrilled to partner with them as they put specialty coffee on the global map.”
Padukone’s investment portfolio in Indian startups is notably diverse, ranging from skincare company Eighty Two East to the cab-hailing startup BluSmart. She has also invested in Supertails, a petcare startup, and Epigamia, a yogurt company.
Matt Chitharanjan, Co-founder of Blue Tokai, spoke highly of Ka Enterprises, saying, “Ka Enterprises’…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.”
The specialty coffee industry in India has been witnessing significant growth, with several domestic and international brands entering the market. Blue Tokai faces competition from other notable players like Third Wave Coffee Roasters, Slay Coffee, Sleepy Owl Coffee, Hatti Kaapi, as well as international chains like Cafe Coffee Day and Starbucks.
Founded in 2013 by Matt Chitharanjan, Shivam Shahi and Namrata Asthana, Blue Tokai boasts four roasteries and a presence in over 80 physical outlets across major Indian cities and regions, including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Mohali, and Pune. The company has also expanded its operations internationally, with a presence in Japan.
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