Chennai-based snack startup Sweet Karam Coffee was born when founder Nalini Parthiban and co-founder Anand Bharadwaj identified a gap in the market: ready-to-eat South Indian staples made without palm oil or preservatives, rooted in grandmother’s recipes.

Launching from a modest 150-sq-ft setup and ₹2,000 investment, the brand has grown impressively: it delivered a 4× revenue jump over two years to hit ₹46 crore in FY25, and is targeting ₹150 crore by March 2026. The secret? Clean ingredient lists, authentic regional flavours (banana chips, Mysore Pak, murukku and more) and a strong D2C, quick-commerce play. 

An angel round from Fireside Ventures in 2022 was followed by an $8 million Series A led by Peak XV and Fireside in April 2025—which will fuel offline expansion and export ambitions (they’re already in 32 countries) though exports still form only a small portion of business. What stands out: the brand isn’t just selling snacks, it’s selling nostalgia. “Janaki Paati”, the grandmother behind the recipes, features as the brand persona—tapping emotional resonance and trust.