Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Founders of Kolkata Chai Co

Brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Co-founders of Kolkata Chai Co., join Host Simi Shah ahead of National Chai Day for a conversation around building one of the most iconic South Asian brands in America. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.

What started as a side hustle in 2018 is now an 8-figure empire spanning viral NYC cafés, a booming e-commerce arm, and a cult following. The Bengali-American brothers have build a fast-growing food & beverage brand bringing authentic masala chai to the Western world, winning checks from investors like CPG Guru — and our previous guest — Nik Sharma and Celebrity Investor Hasan Minhaj, who went from loyal customer to the company’s second-largest stakeholder. Before Kolkata Chai, the brothers co-founded a creative agency called Green Room Creative, inspired by their roots in an immigrant household in Massachusetts.

 In this episode, we dive into:

☕How a trip to India sparked the idea for KCC
☕The realities of being co-founders and brothers (including therapy!)
☕Bootstrapping through COVID before raising a $1M pre-seed
☕How to sell without selling out (your culture)
☕Their organic partnership with celebrity investor Hasan Minhaj
☕Overcoming impostor syndrome

From pushing chai to have its $15B global “matcha moment” to intersecting community and commerce, this is the story of two brothers redefining South Asian culture in America — one cup at a time.

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