New Delhi, Sept 15: Archit Bagaria has joined Savorworks Coffee & Chocolate as Co-founder, moving from an investor in the business to becoming part of its founding team. The move comes as Savorworks looks to build on the strength of its offerings, expand its consumer base and create a larger, Pan India relevant business from pan India scale.
Bagaria’s journey with Savorworks began as an investor, drawn to its product quality, strong consumer proposition and growth potential. Having experienced coffee and cocoa across global markets, he recognised the opportunity to build on Savorworks’ expertise in specialty coffee, bean-to-bar chocolate and premium café experiences, and scale the brand into a pan India competitive Indian business.
“My association with Savorworks began with an investment and a belief in what Baninder and Paweena had built. Having tasted coffee and cocoa across countries, I was particularly impressed by the quality of the products and the potential of the business. What stands out is that Savorworks has built a strong product-led business from India, with the potential to compete at an international level. I am excited to now join them as Co-founder and bring my experience across consumer businesses, capital and growth to help build Savorworks into a category-defining Global standard brand built in India” said Archit Bagaria, Co-founder, Savorworks Coffee & Chocolate.
As Co-founder, Bagaria will join Baninder Singh and Paweena Withyasathien Kochar in shaping the next phase of the company, with a focus on business growth, capital and strategic partnerships. His experience in consumer businesses and investments will complement the founders’ expertise in specialty coffee, chocolate and product development.
The immediate focus will be on strengthening the foundations required to scale the business, including manufacturing capacity,brand building, offerings, manufacturing capacity, and touch points across India.Savorworks will continue to develop its presence across retail, gifting, hospitality and digital channels, while taking a measured approach to expansion.
A perfect fit for strong product and scaling approach. Bagaria brings nearly a decade of experience across consumer businesses, investments and capital, with a track record spanning India, Asia and Africa. A Yale MBA, he began his career at Citi and subsequently held roles at Tolaram Singapore and OmniRetail New York, where he worked across strategic investments, business growth, capital raising and expansion. He also founded Palete, a food-tech venture at Yale, and currently leads The Patient Capital, an India-focused investment vehicle backing consumer businesses and emerging fund managers. Over the course of his career, he has been instrumental in raising ₹200+ crore in equity and leading ₹250+ crore in debt programmes.
Baninder Singh, Co-founder and Head Roaster, Savorworks Coffee & Chocolate, said, “We have always approached Savorworks with a long-term view, with the product and the business at the centre of everything we do. We have built a strong foundation over the years, and the opportunity now is to take that foundation to the next level without compromising on what makes Savorworks distinctive. Archit brings experience in building consumer businesses, capital and scale, and his perspective will be valuable as we shape the company’s next phase.”
“Over that period, Archit has developed a deeper understanding of our craft, our approach and what we are trying to build. Having him now become part of the founding team feels like a natural progression. We are excited about the milestones ahead and, most importantly, about being able to introduce new products to consumers,” said Paweena Withyasathien Kochar, Co-founder and Master Chocolatier, Savorworks Coffee & Chocolate.
Over the next two years, Savorworks will focus on building a stronger and more scalable business, with investments in manufacturing, people, brand and distribution. The company intends to expand its reach across India while selectively evaluating opportunities beyond the domestic market.
The longer-term ambition is to establish Savorworks as a category-defining Indian specialty coffee and craft artisanal chocolate company with global Standard relevance. The focus will remain on building a sustainable and profitable business while taking the quality and craft behind its products to a wider audience.