For many Indians, a cup of chai is how the day begins, but one young man from Bengaluru decided to turn his love for the beverage into a mega business in Australia. Sanjith Konda House left his studies at La Trobe University in Melbourne to follow his dream.
He started Dropout Chaiwala with an investment of AUD 2 lakh, along with his friend Asar Ahmed Syed and two college seniors, Preetam Akula and Arun P Singh. Their first outlet opened on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne.
Starting a tea business in a city known for its love of coffee was not an easy choice, but Sanjith wanted to give people a taste of Indian chai. His idea soon found customers and within a year, the business became a million dollar venture.
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The journey was not easy, as Dropout Chaiwala began with only five types of chai and found it difficult to attract customers. But the team kept trying and worked on improving their options.
Soon, more people started learning about them. They then introduced a chai truck to serve tea at college events, weddings and festivals. Next, the team added more outlets and snacks to their menu.
“I was fascinated about tea from childhood and then conceived the idea of Dropout Chaiwala. My parents were initially shocked that I had dropped out and then apprehensive that I am planning my own business venture. Melbourne is the world's coffee capital and I was planning to open a tea joint,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
“Among the Indian community, the Bombay Cutting is a big hit and the Australians love Indian masala chai and pakodas. But to attract new customers, you need to improvise which we have done with our fusion green tea and chaipuccino (call it the tea's version of cappucino).”
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The business also offered jobs to 40 people and Sanjith Konda House believes that a person does not need a degree to get a job at Dropout Chaiwala. He gives importance to passion, hard work and willingness to learn. He hopes to open at least one outlet in every city across Australia.
At the same time, he advises young people not to leave their studies after spending a lot of money to study abroad. After the initial hesitation, his family is now proud of how he started with a small idea and built a successful business.
Within a year, Dropout Chaiwala reportedly made over AUD 1 Million in sales, which is equal to more than Rs 5.5 Crore.