Giving the word on great-tasting coffee that's easy to prepare is Coffeeza, a brand of imported coffee capsules, and machines.
Cravium Foods stands out by providing an exceptional selection of premium products. This distinction is made possible through their exclusive collaborations with handpicked international coffee companies and appliance manufacturers. Through close cooperation with these partners, they curate the finest assortment of coffee capsules and machines, catering to the discerning Indian market.
Rahul Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, of Coffeeza (Cravium Foods) is the able mind behind the idea that placed its founding stone in January 2018. It commenced the sales in November 2018 with a dynamic group of like minded young professionals who managed the day-to-day operations meticulously, then and now.
The company is on a mission to make a lasting impact on the F&B sector in India through its exceptionally innovative products. Their efforts are dedicated to revolutionizing the coffee preparation and enjoyment experience for coffee enthusiasts, ushering in a transformative change in the way people savor high-quality coffee across the country.
Rahul Aggarwal, after completing his Undergraduate studies in Industrial Management from Purdue University (USA) in 2008 and his MBA from Babson College(USA) in 2011, immediately joined his family business, where he gained exposure in 2017 in a selection of cross-functional roles.
He has always had the itch to launch his venture. Hence in 2017, he moved out of the family business to start looking for business ideas.
Rahul recollected, "It was kind of scary at the time. My daughter had just turned 2 years old, and I was told by many that it was a foolish move to leave behind a comfortable well-settled life for a life of struggle as an entrepreneur. Nevertheless, I went ahead anyway and launched Coffeeza in 2018."
In an exhilarating conversation with The Startup City magazine, Rahul talks about his venture, the idea, plans, hiccups, business model, and more:
Rahul: I was always a very passionate coffee drinker. My brother had bought a capsule coffee machine from Dubai on his travels, and we both got hooked on the coffee.
He would keep a huge assortment of imported coffee capsules, and every day we found ourselves trying different blends and flavours. We loved the convenience of preparing coffee and having a variety of choices.
Around the same time, I was looking to start a business, particularly in the F&B sector. I evaluated a couple of ideas and ended up rejecting them after my research.
Having travelled around the world and observed the coffee trends, combined with my passion for coffee, I decided to launch Coffeeza in 2018.
Rahul: Currently, we have 2 blends of coffee capsules(with 3 more getting launched soon): Classico (medium-intensity blend), Intenso(high-intensity blend), and soon-to-be-launched Decaf, Chocolate, and Hazelnut.
Furthermore, we offer 2 types of coffee machines: Lattisso that can prepare cappuccino, latte, and espresso. It contains an attached milk frother, extracts coffee using superior 19 bar pressure, and is ideal for milk-based coffee lovers, home use, and office use.
The other one is Finero which can prepare espresso and lungo. It also extracts coffee using superior 19 bar pressure and is ideal for black coffee lovers, home use, office use, and hotel rooms.
Rahul: We spent a considerable amount of time testing a lot of different coffee and appliances from around the world. It was challenging to find coffee blends that appeal to the Indian palette.
Similarly, it was challenging to find coffee machines that promised performance and reliability. We could have launched our brand much sooner, but we kept delaying the process due to our high expectations.
Secondly, being bootstrapped from the beginning, the other challenge was trying to think of ways to reach our target audience most cost-effectively. As a result, we ended up starting with the e-commerce model instead of the more expensive retail model.
Rahul: Our products are available for sale through our website, Amazon, Flipkart, and all the Foodhall stores (part of FutureRetail). We ship pan-India from our Goa base.
We are targeting consumers and businesses who are looking for an easier way to enjoy and serve premium barista-style coffee beverages (like Cappuccino, Latte, Espresso, etc).
We focus on certain aspects to build a strong customer base, like ensuring consistency in offering the highest quality of products, investing in the right ways of marketing, and most importantly, learning to be patient.
Rahul: Choosing the path of entrepreneurship was one of the best decisions I've taken. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. My journey as an entrepreneur has just begun and hopefully will last long.
We continually strive to leave a mark in the F&B sector in India with our highly innovative products. We want to change the way coffee lovers prepare and enjoy great-tasting coffee in India.
Rahul: I cannot narrow down a single person who inspired me. I love to read and listen to stories of entrepreneurs who struggled against all odds and came out victorious. I'd say that I find my inspiration in all such stories that I read.
The journey has been ecstatic. There's been a lot of learning along the way as well. It has evolved me as a person and as an entrepreneur. When one is launching a new brand, it takes time to win people's trust. We feel lucky to have achieved that milestone.
Rahul: I hope to scale up Coffeeza to become an established brand with a loyal fan following. Furthermore, we hope to create a multi-channel presence across both digital and retail platforms.
There is a lot for us to achieve in the coming years. We still are new in our journey, progressing toward a brighter and more successful tomorrow.
Rahul: Jumping into a start-up, many entrepreneurs tend to spend way too much time doing research and, frankly speaking, keep looking for reasons to not do it.
My suggestion is that once you have a good gut feeling, just dive right in and try making a sale. You'll know much more clearly if the business model is right or if it needs tweaking. Lastly, in the end, you just have to make it work.
The Coffeezacapsules offer their customers coffee that is sourced from around the world and then roasted and blended to perfection in Europe. Each capsule that they offer contains the exact amount of coffee that's needed to make a perfect cup.
And its innovative design guarantees that the coffee inside remains fresh for a very long time. But, don't just take their word for it, try it for yourself.
