Success Story: If your city has an outlet, you may have spent at least one night with your pals in one of the nation's trendiest cafe chains, 'Chai Sutta Bar'. Nobody could have predicted that selling tea would become such a significant industry before 2016. The story of Anubhav Dubey dispels the myth that success can only be achieved by getting into IITs, IIMs, or passing the UPSE. This is the tale of a man who entirely turned the sale of tea into a multi-billion dollar enterprise.


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Anubhav Dubey is a co-founder of Chai Sutta Bar, and his path stands out as a motivational example of tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. Anubhav Dubey and his co-founder Anand Nayak went on to start Chai Sutta Bar, one of India's hottest cafe chains, despite failing tests for prestigious universities like IIT, IIM, and UPSC. Anubhav Dubey is a living example of how dedication and enthusiasm can lead to amazing success. His firm is currently flourishing and has exceeded the Rs 100 crore threshold.


Anubhav Dubey: Early Days


In 1996, Anubhav Dubey was born in the Madhya Pradesh district of Rewa. The path Anubhav Dubey took to become an entrepreneur was unusual. Despite hailing from a business-oriented family, Anubhav felt pressured to choose a different career path because his father wanted him to become an IAS officer. As a result, Anubhav studied for the UPSC exams in Delhi. But karma had different ideas. Anubhav realized he was meant for entrepreneurship rather than a 9-to-6 career after failing every competitive exam.


Chai Sutta Bar: The Beginning


Anubhav opted to take a different route, despite obstacles. He joined hands with another B.Com. graduate, Anand Nayak, in 2016 to launch a novel business. Despite having few resources, the pair were able to secure Rs 3 lakh to launch their tea company. In Indore, the first Chai Sutta Bar location opened its doors next to a women's hostel, providing a unique experience for tea connoisseurs. The creative idea behind Chai Sutta Bar, which emphasizes the company's dedication to health and well-being by providing 'Taste The Kulhad Chai' in a bar-like setting with stringent no-smoking policies, is what has contributed to its popularity. Chai Sutta Bar has gained popularity among tea connoisseurs all across the country and beyond by fusing a modern aesthetic with a rich Indian tradition.


Chai Sutta Bar: Struggling Days


In its early stages, the tea-selling franchise lacked funding for other crucial components of a startup's success, including branding, interior design, and marketing. They created and opened the first location of the kulhad chai in Indore, next to a hostel, using the little they could gather, using second-hand furniture, and borrowing goods from acquaintances. These young businesspeople demonstrated that a simple, popular idea can change the game and that money does not play a significant role in branding. So, without giving it any consideration, they grabbed a useless piece of wood and scrawled "Chai Sutta Bar" by hand; the name and the topic, as we all know, connected quite well with young people.


Chai Sutta Bar: Road To Success


Anubhav and Anand experienced difficulty in the early days due to intense competition and scarce resources. They vowed not to give up, though. They introduced "Chai" in Kulhads—traditional clay cups—and offered a wide variety of 20 flavors, combining their entrepreneurial zeal with Indore's growing appreciation of tea. A rapidly expanding client base, particularly college students, was drawn to their distinctive approach and dedication to quality. The popularity of Chai Sutta Bar quickly grew through word-of-mouth advertising. Customers were enticed to the bar-like environment because smoking was absolutely forbidden there, highlighting the brand's emphasis on health. Youth aspirations and the company's purpose to offer chai in an environmentally sustainable manner are perfectly compatible.


Chai Sutta Bar: Unstoppable Popularity


The popularity of Chai Sutta Bar was unstoppable. Since its modest beginnings, the business has rapidly increased its geographic reach, opening 165 locations in 195+ cities around India, Dubai, and Oman. The largest Kulhad Tea Franchise in India is now Chai Sutta Bar, thanks to its spectacular growth. Serving tea in kulhads is just one aspect of the company's dedication to the environment. In order to ensure sustainable business practices that help local communities, Chai Sutta Bar has also provided opportunities for 250 potter families who make kulhads for its shops. This year, the company's revenue was 150 crore rupees.


For ambitious business owners and those encountering failures in their chosen careers, Anubhav Dubey's story acts as motivation and inspiration. His experience demonstrates that failing does not mean giving up; rather, it is an opportunity for development and reinvention. Anubhav has built a successful company, opened up job opportunities, and embraced sustainable practices by combining his love of tea with his commercial knowledge. Anubhav Dubey's journey will continue to serve as motivation as Chai Sutta Bar expands and makes its imprint on the Indian cafe scene.