In an exclusive conversation with Food & Beverages Processing magazine, Parimal Shah, Founder of Cherise, shares how the company is redefining India’s beverage industry through its innovative Farm-to-Cup ecosystem and IoT-enabled smart vending solutions. He discusses Cherise’s expanding portfolio of premium beverages, advanced in-house vending technology, stringent quality standards, growing market presence, and the company’s vision to transform on-demand beverage consumption across India.
Cherise has created a unique Farm-to-Cup beverage ecosystem. Could you briefly share the company’s journey, vision, and current product portfolio?
At Cherise, we believe that chai is more than just a beverage—it is an experience. Through our Farm-to-Cup ecosystem, we bring authentic, farm-fresh beverages to consumers with quality, consistency, and convenience at the core.
Our flagship Cherise Tapri IoT-enabled smart vending machines dispense a wide variety of hot and cold beverages, including tea, coffee, soups, milk beverages, iced tea, and coconut water, in just a click. The machines support cashless payments, offer customizable branding, and are ideal for offices, factories, hotels, hospitals, colleges, and other public spaces. Our vision is to redefine on-demand beverage consumption by combining technology with authentic Indian flavours.
With offerings spanning teas, coffees, soups, milk beverages, and smart vending solutions, which product categories are currently driving the strongest growth for the company?
Our growth is being driven by a combination of smart vending solutions and our diversified beverage portfolio.
Cherise Tapri continues to see strong demand for authentic Indian beverages through our Farm-to-Cup ecosystem. Our premium tea brand Specialiteas is gaining traction for its handcrafted gourmet blends made with 100% natural ingredients. Brewdays caters to consumers seeking convenient wellness-focused beverages, while Sunfields and Beanlovers continue to strengthen our tea and coffee offerings. We are also witnessing growing demand for our ready-to-serve cold beverages, including iced teas, cold coffee, tender coconut water, Aam Panna, and Jeera Soda.
Cherise’s IoT-enabled vending machines are a key differentiator. What are the unique features and advantages that set your vending ecosystem apart from competitors in the market?
Cherise smart vending machines are designed and manufactured in-house using advanced mechatronics and our proprietary IoT platform, enabling real-time monitoring and machine management.
Key features include contactless dispensing, app-based operation, GPS tracking, cloud connectivity, touchscreen interface, multiple cashless payment options, auto self-cleaning, live inventory monitoring, high-speed dispensing capacity, and plug-and-play installation. The machines are available in multiple configurations for organised and traditional sectors, offering businesses a smart, scalable, and efficient beverage solution.
Quality, safety, and hygiene are critical in the beverage industry. What manufacturing practices, quality standards, and technological measures does Cherise follow to ensure consistent product excellence?
Quality and safety are fundamental to everything we do. Cherise is audited and certified by Bureau Veritas, while our beverage formulations are tested at Eurofins Laboratories. Our manufacturing facilities comply with globally recognised standards, including ISO 22000:2018, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, GMP, HACCP, and USFDA guidelines. These stringent quality processes ensure consistent taste, hygiene, and product excellence across our entire portfolio.
The company has expanded its presence across multiple Indian cities in a short span. What has been the market response so far, and which regions offer the greatest growth opportunities?
The market response has been extremely encouraging, driven by increasing demand for hygienic, convenient, and technology-enabled beverage solutions.
Our long-term vision is to make India run on Cherise by deploying millions of smart vending machines across offices, factories, educational institutions, hospitals, transport hubs, hospitality establishments, residential societies, and neighbourhood retail outlets. This scalable business model offers significant growth opportunities across urban and emerging markets while creating widespread brand visibility and accessibility.
How do changing consumer preferences, particularly the demand for convenience, premium beverages, and contactless solutions, influence your product development and business strategy?
Consumer preferences have played a key role in shaping our innovation strategy. Today’s customers seek convenience, hygiene, premium quality, and transparency. Our smart vending ecosystem addresses these needs by offering authentic Indian-centric beverages, contactless dispensing, real-time inventory tracking, cloud-based monitoring, and hygienic in-house manufactured machines. Unlike conventional vending systems, our formulations do not use liquid milk, reducing health risks, while our proprietary technology ensures only Cherise beverages are dispensed, maintaining consistent quality and accountability.
