Vidur Mayor Archives - Business of Food https://www.businessoffood.in/tag/vidur-mayor/ Latest Food News, Food Industry News & Business Update Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:12:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://www.businessoffood.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-Food-in-32x32.png Vidur Mayor Archives - Business of Food https://www.businessoffood.in/tag/vidur-mayor/ 32 32 227603187 FES Cafe, incubated by Wolfpack Labs, raises ~$1 Million in Pre-Series A round led by 12 Flags to accelerate expansion across Delhi NCR https://www.businessoffood.in/fes-cafe-incubated-by-wolfpack-labs-raises-1-million-in-pre-series-a-round-led-by-12-flags-to-accelerate-expansion-across-delhi-ncr/ Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:12:10 +0000 https://www.businessoffood.in/?p=12925 FES Cafe, India’s first 100% eggless dessert-led cafe chain, has raised ~$1 million in a pre-series A round led by 12 Flags, a global consumer fund founded by Rakesh Kapoor, former Global CEO, Reckitt Benckiser. Wolfpack Labs, a venture studio and startup lab founded by Aakash Anand and Prerna Gupta, an existing investor of FES Café, […]

The post FES Cafe, incubated by Wolfpack Labs, raises ~$1 Million in Pre-Series A round led by 12 Flags to accelerate expansion across Delhi NCR appeared first on Business of Food.

]]> FES Cafe, India’s first 100% eggless dessert-led cafe chain, has raised ~$1 million in a pre-series A round led by 12 Flags, a global consumer fund founded by Rakesh Kapoor, former Global CEO, Reckitt Benckiser. Wolfpack Labs, a venture studio and startup lab founded by Aakash Anand and Prerna Gupta, an existing investor of FES Café, is also doubling down as part of this round.

The investment will fuel FES Cafe’s strategic expansion across Delhi NCR, strengthen its delivery and operations through the central production kitchen, and help the brand attract top talent to lead its next phase of growth.

Since its launch, FES Cafe has rapidly grown into a cult-favourite dessert destination, known for its New York-inspired chunky, freshly baked cookies, seasonal dessert drops, and experiential community formats. The brand has built a loyal base of Gen Z and millennials who see FES as a cultural hub, a modern “third space” that celebrates indulgence and connection.

“FES Cafe started with a simple belief: desserts deserve to be celebrated,” said Vidur Mayor, Founder & CEO, FES Cafe. “With 12 Flags’ and Wolfpack’s support, we’re ready to take that vision to more neighborhoods, creating dessert-first cafes that double as community spaces. This next phase is about scaling with intention, expanding footprints while retaining the craft, culture, and consistency that make FES special.”

“We’re excited to partner with FES, a distinctive neighborhood dessert cafe that brings together indulgent combinations like cookies and ice cream, a concept we believe will resonate deeply with people across all age groups eventually. With a sharp focus on consistency, quality, and execution, we’re confident this proposition will scale successfully across the country,” said Rajat Agarwal, Partner and MD, 12 Flags.

“FES is building what India’s been waiting for: a true community cafe brand with the buzz of a Central Perk and the business rigour to back it up,” said Aakash Anand, co-founder & partner, 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.”

“We’re backing FES because it understands what the next generation wants: a space that’s inclusive, indulgent, and social,” added Prerna Gupta, Founder, Wolfpack Labs. “This is a brand that can grow fast and still feel personal, a rare and powerful combination.”

FES Cafe has also onboarded Amit Nagpal, ex-CFO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, as Strategic and Financial Advisor to work closely with the management team on cafe expansion and strategic initiatives. “FES has demonstrated strong early-stage store economics backed by a highly effective brand marketing strategy,” said Amit.

The post FES Cafe, incubated by Wolfpack Labs, raises ~$1 Million in Pre-Series A round led by 12 Flags to accelerate expansion across Delhi NCR appeared first on Business of Food.

]]> 12925 FES Cafe raises Rs 3 Crores in Seed Funding and Wolfpack Labs to scale India’s first 100% eggless dessert cafe chain https://www.businessoffood.in/fes-cafe-raises-rs-3-crores-in-seed-funding-from-serial-entrepreneur-aakash-anand-and-wolfpack-labs-to-scale-indias-first-100-eggless-dessert-cafe-chain/ Thu, 03 Jul 2025 09:19:23 +0000 https://www.businessoffood.in/?p=10579 FES Cafe, India’s first scalable dessert-led Cafe chain, has raised Rs 3 crores in a seed round led by serial entrepreneur Aakash Anand and his venture studio Wolfpack Labs, known for backing high-growth consumer brands. The capital will fuel FES’s aggressive expansion, including its much-awaited entry into Delhi this July, and accelerate its vision of […]

The post FES Cafe raises Rs 3 Crores in Seed Funding and Wolfpack Labs to scale India’s first 100% eggless dessert cafe chain appeared first on Business of Food.

]]> FES Cafe, India’s first scalable dessert-led Cafe chain, has raised Rs 3 crores in a seed round led by serial entrepreneur Aakash Anand and his venture studio Wolfpack Labs, known for backing high-growth consumer brands. The capital will fuel FES’s aggressive expansion, including its much-awaited entry into Delhi this July, and accelerate its vision of building a national, dessert-first Cafe brand rooted in culture, community, and indulgence, with plans to scale to 100+ locations by FY 2027.

With a 100% eggless menu and a dessert-first approach, FES is reimagining India’s Cafe culture. The brand has become a go-to destination for freshly baked cookies, whipped puddings, alternative-ingredient cakes, innovative seasonal desserts, and scrumptious savoury options, all served in a vibrant third space designed for Gen Zs and Millennials to vibe, work, hang, and connect. Signature experiences like Coffee Raves, Dessert of the Month drops, and limited-edition menus keep the community engaged and coming back for more. Since its launch, FES has seen explosive growth, recording:

  • 3X revenue growth in the first 3 months
  • 29.8% store-level EBITDA by Month 4
  • 347% surge in delivery revenue over 90 days
  • 10,000+ monthly orders as of June 2025
  • EBITDA-positive in just four months at the company level.
  • Higher-than-industry-standard revenue per square foot, driven by operational efficiency and strong repeat rates

“FES was born out of one belief: desserts deserve better,” said Vidur Mayor, Founder & CEO, FES Cafe. “For decades, desserts have been an afterthought in India’s Cafes. We wanted to flip the script, to put gooey cookies, innovative sweets, and indulgence right at the center of culture. With Wolfpack’s backing, we’re building not just a Cafe chain, but a national network of dessert-first third spaces,  powered by community, creativity, and a whole lot of freshly baked joy.”

In addition to capital, Wolfpack Labs brings strategic expertise across product innovation, franchising frameworks, operations, and brand building.

“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.”

“We’re backing FES because it understands what the next generation wants: a space that’s inclusive, indulgent, and social,” added Prerna Gupta, Founding Partner, Wolfpack Labs. “This is a brand that can grow fast and still feel personal, a rare and powerful combination.”

What’s Next:

  • Delhi debut this July, marking FES’s first Cafe in the capital.
  • Second Gurgaon outlet opening in a leading corporate park in September 2025
  • Jaipur launch scheduled for December 2025
  • On track to open 100+ stores by FY 2027 across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities
  • Rolling out a hybrid COCO + FICO model
  • Delivery-first hubs and packaged dessert formats in development to extend reach beyond physical Cafes.

The post FES Cafe raises Rs 3 Crores in Seed Funding and Wolfpack Labs to scale India’s first 100% eggless dessert cafe chain appeared first on Business of Food.

]]> 10579