One of India’s youngest successful businesspeople, Anubhav Dubey hails from Madhya Pradesh. A popular tea chain, Chai Sutta Bar, was co-founded by him. In the end, he pursued business instead of his original goal of becoming an IAS official. There are presently over 150 Chai Sutta Bar locations throughout India and the world. The annual income of Chai Sutta Bar exceeds Rs.100Cr. He’s just 26, yet he’s already one of the most successful businesspeople his age.
Early Life of Chai Sutta Bar Founder
Born in 1996 in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa District, Anubhav Dubey is a local boy. The socioeconomic status of his family may be described as middle class. His dad was just a regular Joe in the real estate industry. Anubhav attended Maharshi Vidya Mandir Rewa up till the eighth grade. He attended the Renaissance College of Commerce and Management in Indore, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2014.
He had a lively social life throughout his stay in college in Indore. His eventual business partner at Chai Sutta Bar, Anand Nayak, was one of them. Because of his studies in commerce, Anubhav Dubey possessed a keen mind for business. He used to resell old touchscreen phones for a profit. As a result, he would deal with unexpected costs by trading in and upgrading his used phone inventory.
To have their son succeed in life, Anubhav Dubey’s parents hoped he would join the Indian Administrative Service. They did this by sending their only son to a coaching class in Delhi for the United States Civil Service Examination. He tried his best to prepare for the test and even showed up to take it, yet he still failed. Disappointment clouded his mood a little. There was this one day when he couldn’t stop thinking about ways to make money.
When he was in college, he bought and sold used phones. He came up with an unconventional solution. It just so happened that one day he got a phone call from an old school pal, Anand Nayak. They had a lengthy discussion about their shared future. For Anand Nayak, things were not going well either. The two of them intended to launch a new company. Both Anubhav and Anand had the ambition to become extremely wealthy.
How Chai Sutta Bar Started – Initial struggle
Although Anubhav Dubey aspired to follow in the footsteps of his Real Estate magnate father, he lacked the necessary capital to do so. To protect his scheme from his father, Anubhav kept it a secret. Only Rs. 300,000 is available between Anand and Anubhav’s respective bank accounts. They decided to set up business as a teahouse. They made their plans and set off for Indore to put them into action.
In 2016, Anubhav and Anand moved from Delhi to Indore. Inquisitors combed an area. They looked for quite a while before settling on a location close to a female-oriented hostel. They found affordable and in excellent shape used furniture and other necessities. They had planned to entice customers on the first day by giving them free tea, but the strategy backfired. Many customers unexpectedly arrived.
Another strategy was conceived upon by them. They invited other students and females staying in the dorm. The strategy was successful and received media attention in the area. People began visiting more often to shop, increasing revenue. Instead of using paper cups, they switched to Kulad (a cup made from Clay). They made over twenty different kinds of tea, including choco tea, ginger tea, tulsi tea, paan tea, cardamom tea, ilayachi tea, mint tea, and many more. They had other food options besides just tea, like Maggi, pasta, sandwiches, and pizzas.
Initial Challenges of Chai Sutta Bar & Anubhav Dubey
For the first half a year, Anubhav had to contend with a number of obstacles. Challenge every challenge taught him something new. Because of his perseverance and dedication, he was successful. Within a short time, the store’s earnings increased significantly.
Not even the steady profits of a modest business could satisfy Anubhav. He had a tremendous idea. He put pen to paper and showed his co-founder, Anand Nayak, their strategy. Brilliant and potentially game-changing, the idea was. They established a legal entity and launched a franchise program. During the first six months, he was able to sell two franchises. The investment for a franchise is 600,000 rupees. Within a year, Anubhav had opened the fourth franchise in Mumbai.
Some Figures
Eventually, the tide turned in his favour, and the number of chai sutta bar franchise outlets continued rising year after year. Chai Sutta Bar now has over 150 locations throughout India and the world. Each day, Chai Sutta Bar sells over 300,000 Kulhad tea. The Kulhad Makers are an Indian folk band that hails from a rural community. The Chai Sutta Bar relies on their consistent supply of more than 300,000 kulhad (CSB).
About 15,000 families may trace their ancestry back to Chai Sutta Bar as Potters. Over 500 individuals of all ages and walks of life have found work at CSB. As a result, CSB is bridging gaps across different communities.
The Chai Sutta Bar Success Team
Anubhav Dubey’s support staff for Chai Sutta Bar consists of a hundred young, active persons. Anubhav’s ultimate goal was to take his company global. In 2021, he saw his fantasy realised. He branched out internationally by launching a pair of franchises. You’ll find one in Dubai and another in Muscat. The words “Is khullhad me jo bhi Chai piyega, wo humari desh ki mitti ko chumega,” which translate to “whoever drinks tea from this clay cup, will kiss his motherland,” serve as an inspiration for young people to open their own Chai Sutta bar franchise.
Currently, Chai Sutta Bar earns more than Rs.100 Cr a year in revenue. Several major news outlets, including NDTV, Aajtak, ZEE News, and the BBC, reported on Anubhav’s success. At one point, he was asked to attend a Ted Talk. He followed his father’s lead. A number of media outlets, including TEDx, Josh Talk, and Curly Tales, have profiled Anubhav Success. As a result of his efforts, he has been named the Young Change Maker of the Conclave 2021.
