This dynamic duo is turning your daily caffeine fix into a cultural movement

The quest for the perfect cup led two long-time friends to turn their passion into a flourishing business. Shiv Dhawan, co-founder, First Coffee, and Sohrab Sitaram, co-founder and CEO of the brand, joined forces in 2023 to dive into the rapidly growing market. Today, they are serving in 18 spots across Delhi-NCR and Chandigarh, as well as on Zomato and Swiggy. In conversation with Cosmopolitan India, they speak about the country’s thriving café culture and how the right “blend” of conviction and confidence can brew a successful brand.

Cosmopolitan India: What inspired you to start First Coffee?

Shiv Dhawan (SD): Sohrab and I were fascinated by how coffee has transformed globally—from being just a beverage to becoming a lifestyle symbol. In India, though, there was still a gap. Most cafés were large and slow-moving or lacked a strong identity, and there was no concept that combined speciality, premium coffee with the speed and convenience of today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Sohrab Sitaram (SS): We wanted to reimagine how the country consumes coffee by creating a grab-and-go specialty format that merges the sophistication of single-origin Arabica beans with the accessibility of on-the-go convenience. Given my experience in scaling F&B brands and Shiv’s passion for building new ones, we decided to set up a coffee brand that is high-quality, tech-driven, and culturally relevant for a younger audience who sees coffee as more than just a drink. It’s a ritual, a vibe, and a lifestyle.

CI: When and where did your love affair with coffee begin?

SD: I’m more of a cold coffee guy...I have about three glasses a day, and it’s literally the only thing I look forward to. So, one fine day, I decided to stop buying them and sell them instead.

SS: I kick-start my day with a hot cappuccino, in the afternoon, I top it up with a strong espresso, and finally reward myself with an iced latte on my way home. Coffee has also been at the heart of our friendship from the very beginning. It’s what brought us together and kept us connected over the years, through countless hours of brainstorming and conversations. These moments over coffee didn’t just fuel our friendship; they planted the seeds of inspiration that eventually grew into First Coffee. 

CI: Can you tell us how your brand got its name?

SD: Truth be told, we spent hours trying to think of a befitting name for our brand. And each time we’d start scribbling down options, we’d want to first grab a coffee. So Sohrab suggested, “Why not just name it that?” First Coffee. We loved it!

SS: Nothing begins until you’ve had your first coffee. It’s a ritual that sets the tone for the day; the spark that turns intention into action. Our tag line, ‘First Coffee, Then Everything Else,’ captures this perfectly. Coffee is the ultimate catalyst that powers creativity, ambition, and community.

CI: Coffee is a competitive space. What makes your brand stand out?

SD: What really sets us apart is the vibe inside our cafés. ‘First Coffee, Then Everything Else’ isn’t just a tag line; it’s how people live within our brand. When you walk in, you’re met with good energy, music, and conversations. This atmosphere is as important to us as the coffee.

SS: We’re on the quest to change the way India experiences coffee; it’s still a tea-first country, and most cafés are either too mass market or high-end. We’ve found a sweet spot in between—speciality coffee that is premium yet approachable. Our beans are rated 85+ on the SCA scale (a score of excellence by the Specialty Coffee Association), and we have built a hybrid model that balances convenience with café culture.

CI: What do you have to say about the ever-evolving coffee culture in India?

SD: We are seeing two paradigm shifts: The rise of speciality coffee and the new generation treating coffee as aspirational. Consumers are more curious; they want to know where the beans come from, how the coffee is brewed, and whether it’s high quality. Coffee has become something they identify with, the same way they identify with sneakers, music, and fashion. For us, it’s less about following a trend and more about setting the tone for what coffee in India can be.

SS: India’s coffee culture is at a really interesting turning point. Ten years ago, coffee was more of an occasional indulgence. Today, especially in urban centres, it has become a part of people’s daily routines. What excites us is that it’s no longer about the drink, but the culture, community, lifestyle, and identity around it. 

CI: Any advice for a young entrepreneur who wants to launch their own F&B brand?

SD: You have to be brutally honest about what you’re good at and what you’re still building. Sohrab comes with years of experience in scaling F&B, while I hail from a brand and retail background. Together, the balance allows us to cover more ground. For any entrepreneur, finding the right co-founder and team that complements your skills can be the difference between growing quickly and stalling early.

SS: You do not require a formal degree in QSR or decades of expertise to begin an F&B brand. What you do need is conviction; confidence that your product or experience will be the best. There will always be players with more capital, more experience, or more scale, but belief changes how you show up every day, and that energy reflects in the brand you build. 

Lead image: Shiv Dhawan and Sohrab Sitaram 

This article first appeared in Cosmopolitan India's September-October 2025 print edition.

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