Bharat Sethi, the brains behind Rage Coffee, has brought a revolutionary concept to the coffee industry. His brainchild, the world’s first plant-based coffee, has not only captured the hearts of coffee aficionados but also champions safety for both consumers and the environment.
Sethi’s path to success was anything but ordinary. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Delhi University, he embarked on a career at HDFC as a Project Trainee. With a diverse range of roles, he fine-tuned his skills in company management.
In 2012, Sethi took a bold step by founding Poster Gully, an online platform that celebrated the creativity of countless artists and designers. This platform harnessed automated self-serving technology, empowering contributors to showcase their unique designs to a global audience. For four years, he led as the founder and CEO, overseeing the platform’s remarkable growth and accomplishments.
Driven by his thirst for knowledge, Sethi pursued specialized education at Cornell University, delving into Macroeconomics and markets.
Venturing into New Horizons
In 2016, Bharat Sethi laid the foundation for iDecorama, an innovative B2B eCommerce marketplace driven by visual aesthetics. This platform harnessed User-Generated Content (UGC) and image recognition technology, simplifying the discovery and acquisition of over 75,000 products for design, architecture, and construction professionals.
Sethi’s entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond iDecorama. He ventured into investments, backing brands like DrinkPrime, Master Chow, and Jimmy’s Cocktails, among others.
The Birth of RAGE Coffee
In 2018, Sethi’s brainchild, RAGE Coffee, made its debut. The brand’s mission was clear: redefine the coffee experience. Offering a diverse array of flavors and eye-catching packaging, Rage swiftly emerged as one of the fastest-growing Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands. Its coffee beans, meticulously sourced from Ethiopian and Indian plantations, brought the artisanal coffee experience to a new generation that craved instant gratification and health-conscious choices.
Following a triumphant $5 million fundraising round in 2021, as reported by the World Coffee Portal, Rage Coffee embarked on an ambitious journey. Plans included the construction of a facility in Haryana, set to commence operations in October 2021. Spearheaded by Sixth Sense Ventures, this substantial investment aimed to fuel new product launches, reinforce marketing efforts, and expand the brand’s online and offline presence.
Future Endeavors
Sethi revealed plans for further expansion, discussing their current presence in over 2,500 stores across India, with aspirations to reach approximately 10,000 point-of-sale retail touchpoints by year-end. According to Inc42, Rage Coffee achieved remarkable growth, with revenue surging more than fivefold within a year, from Rs 4.5 crore in FY21 to Rs 23.5 crore in FY22.
Their audacious revenue target for FY23 stands at Rs 92 crore, accompanied by a commitment to doubling their physical presence and penetrating over 10,000 offline stores by March 2023.
In 2023, Rage Coffee introduced an innovative range of canned coffees, catering to the on-the-go lifestyle. In an exclusive conversation with an Indian retailer, Bharat emphasized Rage Coffee’s dedication to innovating caffeine products. They aim to provide a ready-to-drink caffeine solution for the fast-paced lives of their customers.
These three captivating Rage ready-to-drink cold coffees are set to be available across all channels by the end of April, ensuring that everyone can conveniently savor a refreshing caffeine boost with Rage’s ready-to-drink coffee at work.
Rage Coffee’s Stellar Growth
Rage Coffee’s trajectory has been nothing short of extraordinary. The brand’s 34-year-old CEO recently celebrated a significant milestone on LinkedIn – the inauguration of a new plant in Manesar. This marks a pivotal moment in their relentless pursuit of coffee-related research and development innovation.
With cricket icon Virat Kohli as the brand’s ambassador, Rage Coffee is rapidly making its mark in the startup landscape. It positions itself as a formidable competitor to well-established giants like Bru and Nescafe, symbolizing a new era of coffee excellence.
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