Ankesh Jain, co-founder and CEO of Nothing Before Coffee, one of India’s fastest-growing and most affordable coffee chains, has played a pivotal role in driving the brand’s expansion while leading its finance and business development functions.
Ankesh’s Background
A CA finalist and MBA (Finance) graduate with a strong foundation in finance, Ankesh gained early exposure to budgeting, auditing, and financial management through his father’s CA practice before stepping into entrepreneurship with Nothing Before Coffee. This financial acumen would later become instrumental in building a business designed for sustainable growth and operational excellence.
As co-founder and CEO, Ankesh has played a pivotal role in scaling Nothing Before Coffee from a single outlet in Jaipur to over 120 outlets across India. Alongside leading the brand’s finance and business development functions, he has helped shape its expansion strategy, operational efficiency, and customer-first approach.
Reflecting on how the journey began, Ankesh says,
“The idea came from a simple observation. We are from Jaipur, and whenever we wanted to visit a cafe, we usually had only two options: roadside coffee chains or high-end five-star cafes. There was no coffee chain that offered a good experience, hygiene, and affordability together. That was when we decided to create a coffee chain that would feel aspirational, with a good vibe and a European or Western feel, while still being affordable. We wanted customers to come in without thinking twice about the cost. That was the core idea, and from there, NBC started growing quickly.”
At NBC, Ankesh leads the company’s finance and business development functions, playing a key role in shaping its growth strategy. From overseeing budgets and financial planning to evaluating new markets for expansion, he helps ensure that the brand scales sustainably while maintaining operational efficiency. His responsibilities also include tracking business performance, aligning investments with growth objectives, and identifying opportunities to strengthen NBC’s presence across India.
A Competitive Edge
For Ankesh, the opportunity was never limited to India’s metros. NBC’s USP is its sharp focus on India’s youth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where the market gap is still large and the experience feels aspirational. Unlike brands that mainly target metros, NBC creates an instant connect by bringing a city-level lifestyle experience to smaller markets like Lucknow, Varanasi, Rajkot and Vadodara.
That is backed by consistent product quality, regular customer feedback, and a fast ability to adapt to cultural trends that appeal to younger audiences.
What also sets the brand apart is its experience-led model, from coffee rave parties to 30 to 40 workshops a month across outlets, including sip-and-paint sessions, musician classes, and candle-making. Ankesh explains,
“The coffee rave idea began as a concept inspired by the West. The idea is that today’s young generation does not want to focus on alcohol as much. They want to enjoy life and experience the energy of a club-like atmosphere, but with coffee and caffeine instead of alcohol. So we create a DJ-style setup inside our cafes, and people come in to enjoy music and the atmosphere while getting their energy from coffee rather than alcohol. That is the whole concept behind the coffee rave party.”
NBC’s Journey
One of NBC’s earliest challenges was building the right team at the pace the business was growing. Every new outlet required a fresh team of seven to eight employees, making recruitment, onboarding, and training critical to maintaining a consistent customer experience. To support its expansion, the company invested in dedicated HR and training functions that could scale alongside the business.
COVID became the turning point, forcing the brand to move from company-owned expansion to a franchise model, which helped NBC grow from 4 outlets to nearly 70 in three years. After that, the brand took root with COCO stores only.
Today, the brand has 120+ outlets across India, including 43 franchise units, and has built a profitable store model rather than chasing growth at any cost.
Over the years, NBC has evolved from a single café in Jaipur into a nationally recognised coffee chain. With a presence in more than 40 cities, a growing base of 3.5 lakh app members, and a successful funding round led by Prath Ventures, the brand has steadily strengthened its position in India’s café market.
For Ankesh, however, the true achievement lies not just in expansion, but in building a scalable and operationally resilient business capable of sustaining long-term growth.
A New Dawn
Looking ahead, NBC’s long-term vision is to open 1,000+ outlets across India, with a strong focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and to become the most aspirational yet affordable coffee chain in the country.
To bring this vision to life, NBC is investing in the pillars that drive long-term scale: technology, supply-chain efficiency, and continuous product innovation. The brand introduces new products every 45 days, ensuring customers always have something fresh and relevant to experience.
Lessons for Self
If there is one principle Ankesh swears by, it is the importance of playing the long game. He believes that building a successful business requires patience, discipline, and a commitment to getting the fundamentals right before pursuing rapid growth.
For the next generation of entrepreneurs, his message is to solve real problems, stay adaptable, and never overlook cash flow—because that is one of the most important parts of any business.
Lastly, he shares that if he had to give one piece of advice to his 16-year-old self, it would be:
“If you have an idea in your mind, do not hold back, thinking, “I will do it someday when the time is right.” Instead, act whenever you get the opportunity. Build the idea, nurture it, and keep working on it so it can grow into something much bigger.”
