Third Wave Coffee Roasters — Indian Hospitality Magazine
Cafe Edition

Third Wave Coffee Roasters

Bangalore's homegrown specialty chain — the roastery that scaled without losing the plot

T

Sushant Goel, Anirudh Sharma, Ayush Bathwal

Founder · Est. 2016 · Indiranagar (flagship), Bangalore

Third Wave Coffee Roasters was founded in 2016 in Bangalore by three co-founders who identified a specific gap: specialty coffee in India was either too expensive for daily consumption or too exclusive to scale. The thesis was that specialty coffee — sourced from Indian estates, roasted with care, and prepared with barista training — could be served at prices competitive with mainstream chains without compromising quality.

The Indiranagar flagship established the template: a clean, minimal café with visible roasting equipment, a menu focused on coffee preparations, and pricing that made daily visits sustainable for the professional crowd. The model worked, and Third Wave expanded rapidly across Bangalore and then nationally, growing to hundreds of locations.

The challenge that Third Wave navigated — scaling a specialty coffee brand without diluting the product — is the central case study of its existence. Each location maintains the same sourcing, the same roasting standards, and the same barista training protocols. Whether the model has fully succeeded at this is debated; that the attempt exists at this scale in India is not.

Third Wave Coffee Roasters — additional image

“Specialty coffee should not be a luxury. It should be Tuesday morning.”

What Defines Third Wave Coffee Roasters

Pour-Over— The manual brew that demonstrates the roastery's current seasonal offering. The preparation that most clearly distinguishes Third Wave from mainstream chains.
Flat White— The espresso-milk preparation that is the most popular order across all locations. The quality of the flat white is the most accessible test of any specialty café's standards.
Cold Brew— Slow-steeped and available on tap at most locations. The summer standard.
Retail Beans— The take-home offering that extends the brand beyond the café visit. Each bag specifies origin and roast profile.
Croissant— The bakery item that most locations serve alongside the coffee. Flaky, buttered, and positioned as the coffee's companion.

The Experience

The Third Wave experience is designed for replication: clean interiors, good lighting, a consistent playlist, and baristas who can discuss the origin of the coffee they are preparing. The Indiranagar flagship retains elements of the original — the roaster is visible, the seating is communal, the energy is that of a neighbourhood café rather than a chain outlet.

Rated & Reviewed By

Forbes India 30 Under 30 · Zomato 4.3★ · Economic Times Brand Equity · Inc42

Editorial Notes

  • Third Wave's growth from a single Bangalore café to a national chain with hundreds of locations is one of Indian specialty coffee's most significant scaling stories.
  • The founders' backgrounds in technology informed the company's approach to systems, consistency, and data-driven operations.
  • The debate around whether scaling compromises specialty coffee quality is central to understanding Third Wave's position in the market.
  • Essential curriculum reference for hospitality students studying specialty coffee scaling, franchise models, and quality consistency.

Getting There

Nearest Metro: Indiranagar (Purple Line, 5-minute walk). The flagship café is on 12th Main, Indiranagar — Bangalore's primary café and restaurant district.