Sweet Karam Coffee (SKC), a South Indian food brand, has raised $8 million in a Series A funding round led by Peak XV Partners. The round also saw participation from existing investor Fireside Ventures.
The funds raised will be used for omnichannel expansion, accelerating new product development, and strengthening its supply chain and brand presence.
The funding comes almost two years after Sweet Karam Coffee raised $1.5 million from Fireside Ventures.
Previously in October 2023, the company had raised $1.5 million from Fireside Ventures.
“Quick commerce is bridging distribution like never before, and we’re seeing a beautiful cross-pollination of cultures—our products are now loved not just in the South, but across the country. We’re particularly proud to have led the charge against palm oil from Day 1,” said Nalini, CEO & Co-Founder of Sweet Karam Coffee.
Abishek Mohan from Peak XV said, “The South Indian snacks and sweets market, at over ₹25,000 crore, is large, fast-growing, and undergoing a significant transformation. The shift from unorganized to organized players, rising demand for better-for-you products, and the rapid expansion of modern distribution channels present a powerful opportunity for brands like Sweet Karam Coffee. Nalini and Anand are deeply authentic, mission-driven founders, and we’re thrilled to be a part of their journey.”
Kannan Sitaram from Fireside Ventures said, “Fireside invested in Sweet Karam Coffee for the first time in 2023. Since then we have invested twice more – persuaded by the remarkable all-round development of the business. Nalini, Anand, Raghav, Sri and the team have shown strong focus in creating authentic tasting clean label products, terrific execution ability in both e-commerce and offline channels and compelling brand storytelling. What’s even more exciting is the brand’s widespread acceptance—not just among consumers in Southern India and the South Indian diaspora, but across the entire country. We are convinced their journey has just started and a very large iconic brand is in the making.”
Founded in 2015 by Anand Bharadwaj, Nalini Parthiban, Srivatsan Sundararaman, and Veera Raghavan, Sweet Karam Coffee sells a range of south Indian sweets, snacks and filter coffee, which it claims are free of palm oil and preservatives. It also sells condiments and ghee.
The startup sells its products via its website, e-commerce marketplaces and quick commerce platforms.
The brand has a presence in 32 countries and is available in over 2,500 quick commerce dark stores across India. SKC claims to have grown 4X in revenue over the past 12 months and is projected to grow another 2.5X in the next 12 months.
SKC also announced the appointment of Nandhitha Indermohan (ex-Unilever, ISB alumna) as Chief Operating Officer to boost execution. With over 15 years of experience in supply chain and operations, Nandhitha’s expertise is expected to enhance SKC’s operational and strategic capabilities.
