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9 min read
From One Kiosk to Forty Outlets: Our Story
A founder's-eye view of building INKOTEA from a single Hyderabad kiosk to a multi-city retail brand.
S
Srinivas P. Mahendra
Published 20 February 2026
When we opened our first kiosk in 2021, we had one rule: every cup must taste the same, every single day.
The first year
We made every chai ourselves. We fired three suppliers. We re-wrote the recipe seven times.
The franchise inflection
At outlet #6, we realized we weren't running a tea business — we were running a systems business. That's when INKOTEA became a franchise brand.
What's next
40 outlets is just the start. The Social Cafe format is our bridge to becoming a national lifestyle brand.
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