Meet millionaire chaiwala who gave up IAS dream, sells tea worth Rs 150 crore per year, not from IIT, IIM

For a majority of Indians, the day cannot begin without a hot cup of chai and there are many success stories linked to tea. One such story is of two friends Anubhav Dubey and Anand Nayak who launched Chai Sutta Bar, a tea and snack-based business model in India. 

Let's talk about Anubhav Dubey, whose story dispels the idea that success can only be attained by enrolling in IITs, IIMs, or passing the UPSC, and how he became successful selling tea into a multi-billion dollar business.

Anubhav Dubey is a perfect example of how hard work and enthusiasm can yield extraordinary results. His business is currently thriving and has earned more than Rs 100 crore.

Childhood friends Anand Nayak and Anubhav Dubey, hail from Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. Although Anubhav's father was a successful businessman, he preferred that his son pursue a career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He sent Anubhav Dubey to Delhi to study for the UPSC. Anubhav Dubey started preparing for the UPSC exam after failing the CA exam, but he soon realised that he was better suited for business than a job. Anubhav Dubey is currently a co-founder of Chai Sutta Bar, a multi-billion dollar business.

Anubhav Dubey made the decision to stop studying for the UPSC exam and launch a business in 2016. Anand Nayak and Anubhav discussed the idea, but both didn't have a lot of funds. The two decided to launch their tea business after managing to raise Rs 3 lakhs. Anubhav Dubey opened his first tea outlet opposite the girl’s hostel.

Anand and Anubhav Dubey realised they had no money for things like marketing, branding, or interior design because they were operating on a very tight budget. With the help of friends who lent them things and used furniture, they were able to design and open the first location in Indore, which was close to a hostel. They took a useless piece of wood and scribbled the name "Chai Sutta Bar" by hand because they lacked the funds to print a banner. Young people connected with the name and thematically.

Today, Anubhav and Anand have established more than 400 Chai Sutta Bar locations in 195 cities in the nation. Additionally, Chai Sutta Bar has expanded internationally, including to Dubai, the UK, Canada, and Oman. Around Rs 150 crore is how much money Chai Sutta Bar makes each year. Anubhav Dubey's net worth is thought to be about Rs 10 crore.

Chai Sutta Bar offers 250 potter families that make kulhads for their stores commercial options. Today, Anubhav's team includes more than 150 employees, including engineers and MBAs.