New Delhi: The year was 2015. Arpit Raj, then 24 years old, was pursuing a BBA in Hospitality. During this time, Arpit and his friends often roamed the streets of Shillong in search of good food. The academic schedule was hectic, and they barely got any free time—usually late at night. By then, the city would be dark, and going out wasn’t allowed. That’s when Arpit realized that if he and his friends craved food late at night, there must be others who felt the same. This idea led to the birth of the ‘Chaai Seth’ venture. It started as a small tea stall outside their college in Shillong. Over time, it evolved into one of the fastest-growing tea franchises in the country, with 27 outlets across India.
Arpit and his friends began with a tiffin delivery service right from their hostel room—specifically catering to people looking for food late at night. Soon, they moved into a flat and even hired a cook to handle the growing demand. They brought in a local Bengali woman who would prepare snacks like aloo parathas and gobhi parathas. The team delivered these orders themselves on scooters, promising delivery within 30 minutes.
How did the idea of starting a tea business come about?
During this phase, Arpit realized something important—food brings people together. At his college, he observed how students often searched for food that represented their own culture. So, when Arpit and his friends thought of opening a food stall outside campus, they were excited, but also saw challenges—primarily, the difficulty of mastering many different cuisines. Instead of trying to perfect various dishes, they decided to focus on one item that could unite everyone: tea…Read More