Chennai-based Sweet Karam Coffee targets revenue growth as non-South markets expand

Chennai-based snacking brand Sweet Karam Coffee is looking to more than double its revenue in the current fiscal year. The company is scaling its operations as it transitions from a regional D2C player into a pan-India omnichannel brand specializing in traditional South Indian sweets and savories.

Speaking about the brand's strategic positioning, Nalini Parthiban, Co-founder and CEO of Sweet Karam Coffee, stated that the company aims to become the voice of the South at a time when many mainstream incumbent brands focus on broader pan-India palettes.

Founded in 2015, the brand offers traditional South Indian products including Mysore Pak, Athirasam, Murukku, Mixtures, and filter coffee blends. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the company experienced exponential growth, which Parthiban attributed to the quick commerce revolution that enabled broader national distribution. The brand closed the previous fiscal year, FY26, with a threefold year-on-year growth in topline, though exact figures were not disclosed.

Geographic expansion serves as the primary growth lever for the company. Approximately 50 percent of current sales originate from non-South markets. Parthiban noted that quick commerce has democratized distribution, allowing the Chennai-based brand to reach both South Indian diaspora communities and broader national consumer cohorts.

Originally an online-first brand, Sweet Karam Coffee is developing an omnichannel footprint. Plans for the coming months include introducing store-in-store formats within large retail stores, along with general trade, hotel partnerships, and vending machine channels.

On the product front, the company intends to deepen its presence in sweets and related categories while exploring adjacent South Indian food segments, though specific categories have not yet been disclosed.

To support its scaling efforts, Sweet Karam Coffee has transitioned away from a purely contract-manufacturing model. The company now controls its own production units across the southern belt. Parthiban explained that the objective is to bring an organized approach to the traditionally fragmented South Indian snacks manufacturing ecosystem.

In addition to domestic expansion, the brand has initiated international distribution, bringing South Indian flavors to the United States through both online and physical retail channels, an initiative that remains in its early stages.

"Sweet Karam Coffee's trajectory demonstrates how regional brands can leverage quick commerce and omnichannel strategies to scale nationally. By moving from contract manufacturing to controlling their own production facilities, they are building supply chain resilience while capitalizing on rising demand for authentic regional flavors in non-traditional markets." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes