Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

New Delhi-based online premium tea brand Vahdam Teas has raised ₹16 crores in a fresh funding round led by existing investor Fireside Ventures. This marks the third institutional funding round for the tea brand, taking the total capital raised to around ₹30 crores.

The funds raised will be used to expand footprint across the US market, which forms Vahdam’s largest market. It will further invest in customer acquisition and brand building, as it ventures into new territories in India.

Vahdam Teas was launched by Bala Sarda in 2014. It sources premium teas from renowned tea gardens in India, working directly with the farmers, thereby removing the middleman and creating value for both the farmers and the end users.

The fresh tea is procured from more than 150-200 plantations across Darjeeling, Assam, Kangra, Nepal, and other areas in India. The brand claims to ship tea to over 84 countries across the globe. The tea is delivered to the international market within 3-12 days.

The US accounts for nearly 75% of its revenues, while the rest is accrued from Russia, South Asia, and the Indian market.

“We have also started working with contractual manufacturers in India to meet our growing demand of almost 25,000 kgs of tea which is shipped each quarter. We have now set up a new warehouse in Indianapolis to serve our customer base there better,” Bala Sarda, Founder and CEO, Vahdam Teas.

The tea brand has shipped more than 100 million cups of tea, since its launch. It has grown revenues by 10x for the past two years and is on track to further grow revenues 2x each year. Vahdam is looking to launch online operations in India in the coming few months.

Vahdam Teas last raised $1.4 million in series A round led by Fireside Ventures, along with participation from Singapore Angel Network, and Mumbai Angels, in December 2017.

Other players in the tea segment in India include Chaayos, Chai Point, Teabox, Tea Trunk, and Udyan Tea, among many others.

By Varun

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