In a bold move into the growing D2C food and beverage brands space, lifestyle influencers Radhika Seth and Meghna Kaur have launched NAKED, a specialty coffee label aiming to redefine how young India consumes coffee. Going live on July 15 via its direct-to-consumer India website, NAKED is more than just a caffeine fix—it’s a cultural statement.
Joining them as co-founders are Naheel Koroth and Akash Thakkar, with the latter spearheading operations and production. The launch marks one of the latest entries in the creator-led D2C brands wave, a rising trend in the evolving D2C ecosystem India.
Positioned as bold, unfiltered, and unapologetically real, NAKED is taking aim at India’s premium coffee category, currently dominated by brands like Blue Tokai and Subko. However, NAKED’s differentiator lies in its brand-building story and founder-led narrative. “We didn’t want another ‘serious’ coffee brand—we wanted fun, flair, and authenticity,” said Radhika Seth.
NAKED’s product lineup includes 9–10 SKUs of specialty coffee sourced from top Indian and international estates. With full in-house roasting capabilities, the team has chosen quality control over scale. “Everyone told us to outsource roasting, but we knew we had to own the craft,” Thakkar added.
In a space seeing increasing consumer interest, NAKED is tapping into evolving D2C consumer behavior India, where premium, aesthetic-first, and creator-backed products are gaining massive traction among millennials and Gen Z. While the brand is starting with D2C business India as its main channel, it plans to scale into quick commerce D2C, B2B partnerships, and physical cafés that extend beyond just coffee.
The brand is also launching its own merchandise line, embracing a broader lifestyle identity to enhance customer affinity. “Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, you’ll vibe with the ethos of being unfiltered—of being NAKED,” said Seth, leaning into the community-first approach.
NAKED’s early traction is backed by a ₹1 crore friends-and-family round at a ₹10 crore D2C startup valuation, a strong start for a bootstrapped brand. The team is targeting ₹3–3.5 crore in revenue in its first year, signaling promising D2C revenue growth in a fast-scaling niche.
With more Indian D2C updates showing creator and influencer-led brands gaining momentum, NAKED joins the club of new-age D2C startup news stories that blend community, content, and commerce. It’s not just a product—it’s a persona.
As coffee culture deepens in India and premium consumption trends rise, NAKED is one of the latest D2C startups positioned to stir things up. With strong storytelling, quality control, and a relatable founder base, the brand exemplifies the modern D2C brand building story in India.