As first-generation Indian-Americans, brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal grew up with a foot in each hemisphere.
“Our concept of home was ever-shifting,” said Ayan, who described his childhood in ’90s America as one filled with pizza, hip hop and begging his parents for Vans sneakers. Every other year, however, the family would visit Kolkata, and experience a different world.
“We would jump in monsoon puddles, play cricket in the streets and drink chai every day,” he recalled. “It was an earth-shattering contrast.”
Years later, working corporate jobs in New York, the brothers realized something was missing. Ayan drank many $6 coffees with colleagues, but what he missed was the warming taste of home he could only find in a cup of chai. The chai he found locally was often overly sweet and far from authentic.
Then, during a trip to Darjeeling, Ayan began sending his brother photos of tea and messages about the incredible local brews. The idea for Kolkata Chai Co. clicked.
“Chai has such a rich history,” said Ani. “We wanted to reclaim how it’s been shared with the Western world and honor the ingredients and process in a meaningful way.”
In 2018, the brothers launched Kolkata Chai Co. at a farmers market, importing 100% organic Assam tea from India and blending their own masala mix from all-natural ingredients. They bootstrapped everything, literally, even hanging handwritten signs from shoelaces. Within months, hundreds of customers were lining up each weekend.
A year later, they opened their first café: a 100-square-foot storefront in New York’s East Village. After DM’ing every follower they had, 800 customers showed up on opening day.
“It was a viral sensation,” recalled Ani.
When the pandemic hit, they pivoted. The café became a production hub, and they opened an Amazon storefront to reach customers nationwide.
“We knew Amazon could help us capture a much larger audience,” Ani said. “Using Amazon Ads, we’ve been able to change how people think about tea, and increase the awareness chai in America.”
Since then, Kolkata Chai Co. has grown into a multi-million-dollar business with a global fan base. In 2024, actor and comedian Hasan Minhaj joined as an investor and business partner, drawn by the brand’s authenticity and community spirit.
“Food is an incredible way to share culture,” Ayan said. “Kolkata Chai Co. is where our two homes finally meet: a space that celebrates the duality of the immigrant experience and the comfort of connection in every cup.”