Dessert-led café chain FES Cafe raises Rs 3 crore for expansion

FES Cafe, a dessert-led café chain reimagining India’s café culture around indulgence and community, has raised Rs 3 crore in seed funding from serial entrepreneur Aakash Anand and his venture studio Wolfpack Labs.

The latest investment marks a pivotal step in the startup's ambition to scale nationally, with a roadmap targeting over 100 locations by fiscal year 2027.

Founded by Vidur Mayor, FES Cafe positions itself as India’s first scalable café chain with a “dessert-first” approach, an identity that sets it apart in a market long dominated by coffee-centric establishments. With a vibrant, third-space atmosphere designed for Gen Zs and Millennials, the startup offers a 100% eggless menu featuring cookies, puddings, alternative-ingredient cakes, seasonal confections, and savory dishes, served alongside community events and immersive brand experiences.

FES said the fresh capital will fund its entry into Delhi this July, followed by the opening of its second Gurgaon outlet in a corporate hub by September. A third location in Jaipur is scheduled to launch in December.

Alongside physical expansion, the startup is building delivery-first hubs and experimenting with packaged dessert formats to reach audiences beyond its brick-and-mortar cafés. It also plans to adopt a hybrid Company-Owned Company-Operated (COCO) and Franchisee-Invested Company-Operated (FICO) model to drive rapid scale.

“FES was born out of one belief: desserts deserve better,” Mayor said. “We wanted to put gooey cookies, innovative sweets, and indulgence right at the center of culture. With Wolfpack’s backing, we’re building not just a café chain, but a national network of dessert-first third spaces.”

The startup claims to have recorded 3x revenue growth within its first three months, achieved a store-level EBITDA of 29.8% by Month 4, and saw a 347% surge in delivery revenue over a 90-day period. As of June 2025, FES reported more than 10,000 monthly orders and claimed to be EBITDA-positive at the company level in just four months of operations.

In addition to capital and guidance, Wolfpack is expected to support FES through product innovation and brand partnerships tailored to India’s evolving urban palate.

“FES is building what India’s been waiting for: a true community Cafe brand with the buzz of a Central Perk (F.R.I.E.N.D.S show) and the business rigor to back it up,” said Aakash Anand, Lead investor, Wolfpack Labs. “From coffee raves to cult desserts, FES has all the right ingredients: a relatable brand, a loyal following, solid unit economics, and a founder with the hustle to scale nationwide.”