Arman Sood: How Sleepy Owl Brewed a D2C Coffee Revolution in India

"We realized that if we’re going to do this, we have to be in it for the long run… we’re here to build a legacy." - Arman Sood

This quote encapsulates the commitment and long-term vision that drove Arman Sood to build Sleepy Owl Coffee from a dorm-room experiment into a leading Indian coffee brand. It highlights that true success isn't about quick wins, but about building something sustainable and impactful.

About the Guest:

Arman Sood is the Co-founder and CEO of Sleepy Owl Coffee, a Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) coffee brand revolutionizing the Indian coffee landscape. From humble beginnings selling cold brew at college events,

He navigated product pivots, fundraising and building a well rounded product portfolio.

Key Insights from the Conversation:

• From Dorm Room to Boardroom: Sleepy Owl's journey began with simple "anda bread" sales and university merchandise, demonstrating an early entrepreneurial spirit.
• B2B to D2C Pivot: Initial struggles in the B2B restaurant market led to a crucial shift to a direct-to-consumer model, unlocking growth.
• Innovation in Packaging & Product: Creative packaging solutions (bag-in-box, Brew Packs) and product diversification (RTD, Hot Brew) expanded reach and customer appeal.
• Digital Marketing Prowess: Leveraging Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads was key to driving online sales and building brand awareness.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Adapting to customer feedback and seasonal demands (e.g., introducing Hot Brew) fueled product development.
• Strategic Offline Expansion: Built offline retail presence step by step.
• Focus on retention: Retention as a key factor to company's growth

Chapters:

• 0:00:00 - Introduction: Arman Sood's Entrepreneurial Journey
• 0:03:15 - Early Life & Influences: Kolkata, Family, and Adaptability
• 0:07:48 - University Ventures: Anda Bread, Merchandise, and Alibaba Lessons
• 0:14:22 - Discovering the Coffee Opportunity: Cold Brew's Potential
• 0:19:55 - Building Sleepy Owl: From Chikmagalur to First Sales
• 0:26:30 - The B2B Struggle and the D2C Pivot
• 0:34:10 - Scaling Up: Digital Marketing, Team Building, and Revenue Growth
• 0:41:03 - Product Innovation: Brew Packs, RTD, and Hot Brew
• 0:47:58 - Fundraising: Bootstrapping, Angel Investors, and Venture Capital
• 0:55:21 - Offline Retail Expansion: Strategy and Challenges
• 1:01:36 - Future Plans: Instant Coffee, Plant-Based Options, and the INR 100 Crore Goal
• 1:08:12 - Learnings on the job: Hiring, Supply Chain
• 1:14:40 - Building a long term D2C brand.

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