Daalchini Franchise
Smart vending machine franchise: own and run machines (FOFO) or let Daalchini run them (FOCO). About ₹1.5 L a machine, minimum 5 machines.
Daalchini franchise at a glance (terms checked Sept 2026)
Investment
₹7.5 L - ₹10 L*
Estimate — not published by the brand · excl. fee
Ongoing take
FOFO: partner keeps machine sales minus a platform fee (rate not published). FOCO: partner gets a fixed return on investment (rate not published).
Franchise fee
Not published
Payback
14–18 months
Brand's own claim · In line with the category (typical 12 mo–23 mo, median 16 mo, 10 verified brands)
* Not verified — the brand doesn't publish this; the figure comes from other published sources or FranchiseChuno's estimate (see "Reported elsewhere" and "Our estimates" below). Real numbers can differ.
- Disputes with franchisees: None found (records checked Sep 2026)
- Profit or loss: Profit of ₹3 Cr in FY25
- Revenue trend: +87% revenue FY24→FY25
Franchisor strength isn't franchisee profit — check real outlet numbers.
Outlets
5,500 (brand claim)
What we couldn't verify
- • Outlet closures
- • Franchisee satisfaction
- • Outlets we could verify
- • Outlet claim matches reality
Ask before you sign
- Speak to at least 3 franchisees who have run an outlet for 2+ years and see their actual monthly sales and profit — a franchisor making money doesn't mean its franchisees do.
- Get a written, itemised cost breakdown — the brand hasn't published one.
- Ask for the one-time franchise fee in writing, and whether any part is refundable.
Franchise terms checked against Daalchini's official franchise page on 27 Sept 2026. Figures marked * aren't published by the brand — they come from other published sources or our own estimate, and aren't verified.
Investment Breakdown
Per franchisor₹1.5 L per machine (Daalchini FAQ); FOFO start-up cost ₹1.55–2 L (Daalchini blog). Minimum 5 machines.
Daalchini calls it "nominal" but does not publish the amount.
Total excludes a charge whose amount Daalchini doesn't disclose.
Ongoing charges
Model your own numbers in our calculator
Open the ROI calculator* Breakdown as published by Daalchini. Daalchini confirms 2 charges without disclosing the amount — get it in writing before you pay.
Ways to Partner with Daalchini
3 partner models published by the brand. Figures it doesn't publish are left blank.
FOFO (franchise owned, franchise operated)
- Investment
- ₹7.5 L – ₹10 L
- Royalty / margin
- Keeps machine sales minus Daalchini's platform fee (rate not published)
- Who it suits
- Prior business experience helpful, not required
Partner owns and runs the machines (minimum 5); Daalchini sources locations (partner may bring its own), stock and technology. Investment is 5 × the per-machine price, fee extra.
FOCO (franchise owned, company operated)
- Investment
- ₹7.5 L – ₹10 L
- Royalty / margin
- Fixed return on investment (rate not published)
- Who it suits
- No operating experience needed
Partner owns the machines (minimum 5); Daalchini handles locations, restocking, maintenance and logistics.
COFO (company owned, franchise operated)
- Investment
- —
- Royalty / margin
- Not stated
- Who it suits
- —
Described on Daalchini's blog (post first published Feb 2022, updated Sep 2026): the company owns the machines and the partner handles procurement and refilling. Not listed on the current franchise page.
Reported Elsewhere
Not verifiedDaalchini doesn't publish these figures. Other sources have reported them, so they're here to give you a rough idea only. They may be out of date or wrong, and the real numbers can differ a lot — get them from the brand in writing before you decide.
Our Estimates
FranchiseChuno estimateDaalchini doesn't publish these, so here is our best read of the market and how we got there. They are our estimates, not the brand's figures — use them to plan, then confirm the real numbers in writing.
All-in cost of the 5-machine minimum
₹7.5–10 L + franchise fee*
Daalchini's FAQ prices one machine at ₹1.5 lakh and its blog puts FOFO start-up cost at ₹1.55–2 lakh; its franchise page requires a minimum fleet of 5 machines in both models. Five machines at those prices come to ₹7.5–10 lakh before the undisclosed "nominal" franchise fee and any opening stock. The advertised "from ₹1.5 lakh" only makes sense for a single machine.
Unit-economics model · Sep 2026
Monthly profit per machine implied by the payback claim
₹8,000–11,000 per machine*
If a ₹1.5 lakh machine pays for itself in the 14–18 months Daalchini claims, it has to clear roughly ₹8,300–10,700 a month after stock, platform fee and running costs. With snack-and-beverage margins in the teens to low 20s per cent, that needs roughly ₹40,000–75,000 of monthly sales per machine — the middle of the ₹20,000–1.5 lakh range Daalchini's blog gives. Machines at weak sites will take much longer.
Unit-economics model · Sep 2026
Unit Economics
Brand's own figuresHow Daalchini says an outlet's numbers work. These are illustrations, not guarantees — check them against existing franchisees before you sign.
FOFO
- Monthly sales per machineFrom Daalchini's blog post (first published Feb 2022, last updated Sep 2026); depends on location.
- ₹20K – ₹1.5 L per machine
- Monthly rent when a machine is rented to a client siteDaalchini blog; its current FAQ says rental is around ₹5,000 a month.
- ₹5K – ₹20K per machine
- Payback (franchise page)
- 14 – 18 months
- Payback (FAQ hub)
- 10 – 18 months
- Payback or break-even (older blog claim)"Within 24 months" — blog wording since Feb 2022.
- 24 months
What Daalchini Says You Can Earn
Brand claimDaalchini's own claim — no evidence given. These are not FranchiseChuno's estimates or a promise of earnings; ask existing franchisees what they actually make.
- PaybackMonths until cumulative profit equals what you invested.
- 14 months – 18 months
Payback is the brand's claim on its franchise page (14–18 months); its FAQ hub says 10–18 months and an older blog post says within 24 months. No sample size or P&L is given.
Reputation & News
1 red flag to checkWhat the press, courts and real franchisees or customers have said about Daalchini — summarised by us, with every source linked.
- Customer view· Sep 2026★ 1.6/5 · 2,604 ratings
Consumer app rated 1.6/5 on Google Play
The Daalchini app has a 1.6-star rating from about 2,600 reviews on Google Play. Recent reviews (June–August 2026) describe payments taken when a machine did not dispense, slow or missing refunds, and poor product choice in some machines. The company replies to reviews asking for order details.
Source: Google Play - Franchisee view· Sep 2026
Franchise partner testimonials published by the brand
Daalchini's franchise page carries testimonials from partners in Lucknow and elsewhere, several of them women, who say the model lets them run a business alongside home duties. These are chosen by the brand; no independent franchisee reviews were found.
Source: Daalchini (brand-published testimonials) (the brand's own site) - In the news· Apr 2025
Turned profitable in FY25
Inc42 reported, from unaudited figures shared by CEO Prerna Kalra, that Daalchini's operating revenue grew about 89% to ₹70 crore in FY25 and it posted a consolidated profit of ₹2.5 crore after an ₹8.6 crore loss the year before. Machines deployed more than doubled to 3,400 from 1,600.
Source: Inc42 - In the news· Sep 2022
$4 million Series A led by Unicorn India Ventures
TechCrunch reported a $4 million Series A, including some asset financing, when Daalchini ran 850+ smart retail points in 23 cities and had 200+ franchise partners holding 800+ machines. Franchisees owned 98% of machines and about 30% were women.
Source: TechCrunch
Machine categories
- Snacks and beverages
- Fresh meals
- Coffee
- Ice cream
- Beauty and personal care
- Perfume
- Sanitary pads
Source: Daalchini — vending machines page
Location types served
- Corporate offices
- Co-working spaces
- Hospitals
- Factories and manufacturing plants
- Colleges
- Gyms
- Co-living spaces
- Malls
- Hostels
- Coaching institutes
- Railway and metro stations
- Hotels
Source: Daalchini — website
Showcases and deployments (brand claims)
- G20 Summit: demonstrated UPI-integrated smart vending with Paytm
- Startup Mahakumbh 2025: showcased compact, temperature-controlled IoT machines
- Mahakumbh Mela 2025: machines deployed at pilgrimage sites
- AI Impact Summit: recognised for using AI to automate 70%+ of support operations
Source: Daalchini — homepage
Key Terms at Daalchini
The clauses that shape day-to-day running and your exit — read these before the fee.
- Exit
- Daalchini says exit terms are set out in the partner agreement; it does not publish them.
- Renewal
- Tenure differs by model; mostly 5 years, after which the agreement can be renewed (Daalchini blog).
- Supply & stock
- Products are sourced through Daalchini's network of 600+ D2C and established brands at bulk supply-chain rates.
- Payments to the brand
- Daalchini advertises T+2 settlement of machine sales to partners.
- Territory
- Daalchini's BD team secures and hands over sites; FOFO partners may also bring their own locations. No territorial exclusivity is stated.
Legal & Contract Summary
Key contract terms at a glance — read before you sign.
Agreement Type
Not specifiedContract Duration
5 yearsRenewal Available
YesTerritory Exclusivity
—Non-Compete Clause
—Exit Clause
—Who Can Apply for Daalchini
Conditions the brand sets for partners, and the licences the business needs.
- Minimum fleet: 5 machines in both FOFO and FOCO (the FAQ hub suggests starting with 3–5)Required
- Experience: Helpful but not required for FOFO; not needed for FOCOPreferred
About the Brand
Brand USP
App-linked smart vending machines that partners can own and either run themselves or have Daalchini run for them.
Why invest in Daalchini?
Daalchini by the Numbers
As stated by the brand5,500+
Machines installed · Sep 2026
Brand claim250+
Franchise partners · Sep 2026
Brand claim110+
Cities · Sep 2026
Brand claim15 lakh+
Monthly transactions · Sep 2026
Brand claim600+
Brands supplying stock · Sep 2026
Brand claimT+2
Partner settlement cycle · Sep 2026
Brand claim99.5%
Machine uptime · Sep 2026
Brand claimDaalchini Outlet Network
Outlet count over time
- Sep 2022800
Sep 2022 — machines held by 200+ franchise partners (TechCrunch) · techcrunch.com
- Mar 20241,600
End FY24 — machines deployed (Inc42) · inc42.com
- Nov 20242,500
Nov 2024 — machines installed (YourStory; over 95% owned by partners) · yourstory.com
- Mar 20253,400
End FY25 — machines deployed (Inc42) · inc42.com
- Mar 20265,500
End FY26 — about 5,500 machines (Inc42, per the CEO) · inc42.com
- Sep 20265,500
Sep 2026 — machines installed (brand claim) · daalchini.co.in
These counts come from different sources — brand claims, press reports and store locators — so they aren't a like-for-like series. Treat the brand's own claims as the upper end.
Company Financials
Brand-level, publicly reportedThe franchisor's own company health — separate from what a single franchise outlet earns.
Revenue (FY25)
₹70.29 Cr
Net profit (FY25)
₹2.97 Cr
Total funding raised
$6.7M+
Valuation (Jul 2023)
$10.9M
Employees (May 2025)
110
Notable investors
Source: Tracxn — Daalchini Technologies, FY25 consolidated financials (from company filings)
Source: Tracxn — Daalchini, funding and headcount (Sep 2026)
A profitable franchisor doesn't mean profitable franchisees. These are the company's numbers, not an outlet's. A franchisor can grow on fees and supplies while outlets struggle — talk to existing franchisees and see their accounts before you decide.
Company Health Check
What Daalchini's franchisor company has filed with the registrar and the courts — the checks a lawyer would run before you sign.
- Status with the registrar
- Active
- Annual filings
- Up to date
- Last AGM
- 23 Sep 2025
- Paid-up capital
- ₹60.56 L
Group companies
- Daalchini Foods & Beverages Pvt LtdSubsidiary · 99.99%
Source: Tracxn — Daalchini Technologies Pvt Ltd legal-entity record (MCA filings), read Sep 2026 (checked Aug 2026)
Full company recordsFinancials year by year, registered details, leadership and timelineShowHide
Daalchini Financials Over Time
Figures for the brand, from filed or reported accounts.
Source: Tracxn — Daalchini Technologies Pvt Ltd (company filings, consolidated)
A profitable franchisor doesn't mean profitable franchisees. These are the company's numbers, not an outlet's. A franchisor can grow on fees and supplies while outlets struggle — talk to existing franchisees and see their accounts before you decide.
Company Profile
The legal entity behind the brand, its leadership, and its official channels.
- Registered name
- Daalchini Technologies Private Limited
- Company type
- Private Limited
- CIN
- U72900DL2017PTC321668
- Incorporated
- 3 Aug 2017
- Headquarters
- Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Leadership
- PPrerna KalraCo-founder & CEO
- VVidya BhushanCo-founder
Social presence
Company details source: Tracxn — company filings
Daalchini Timeline
Aug 2017
Company incorporated
Daalchini Technologies Pvt Ltd incorporated on 3 Aug 2017 in Delhi by former Paytm executives Prerna Kalra and Vidya Bhushan.
SourceJul 2019
Seed round
About $0.76 million seed round led by Artha Venture Fund.
SourceJul 2020
Seed round
About $0.66 million, led by Artha Venture Fund.
SourceApr 2021
Seed round
About $0.74 million, led by Artha Venture Fund.
SourceSep 2022
$4 million Series A
Led by Unicorn India Ventures, with Artha Venture Fund, VSS Investco and Ajay Kaul; 850+ smart retail points in 23 cities and 200+ franchisees at the time.
SourceMay 2023
Series A extension
About $0.46 million from Artha Venture Fund and Unicorn India Ventures; valuation about $10.9 million.
SourceApr 2025
Profitable year
Inc42 reported ₹70 crore operating revenue and ₹2.5 crore profit for FY25 (unaudited, per the CEO), with 3,400 machines deployed.
SourceApr 2026
FY26 figures reported
The CEO told Inc42 FY26 operating revenue doubled to about ₹140 crore with about 5,500 machines, and that no fresh equity was raised in the year; not yet filed.
Source2025
Mahakumbh deployment
Machines deployed at Mahakumbh Mela 2025 sites, per the brand.
Sep 2026
5,500+ machines
Brand reports 5,500+ machines, 250+ franchise partners and 110+ cities.
FranchiseChuno Analysis
Our analysis of verified dataHow Daalchini looks once the numbers are checked side by side.
- ✓The franchisor company is profitableIts latest filed accounts show a net profit. That's the franchisor's money, not yours: a profitable franchisor doesn't mean its franchisees make money. Check real outlet numbers before you invest.
- ✓Brand operating for 9 yearsFounded in 2017. The brand doesn't state when franchising began.
- !1 red flag in the news or public discussionSee Reputation & News below, and ask the brand to address each one.
Data completeness
64%
- ✓ Terms checked against the brand's own page
- ○ Published investment (not an estimate)
- ○ Franchise fee
- ✓ Royalty
- ○ ROI or payback claim
- ✓ Agreement term
- ✓ Training details
- ○ Outlet cities verified
- ✓ Company financials
- ✓ Legal entity
- ✓ News & public opinion checked
Ask Before You Sign
Questions tailored to what Daalchini does and doesn't publish.
- 1Speak to at least 3 franchisees who have run an outlet for 2+ years and see their actual monthly sales and profit — a franchisor making money doesn't mean its franchisees do.
- 2Get a written, itemised cost breakdown — the brand hasn't published one.
- 3Ask for the one-time franchise fee in writing, and whether any part is refundable.
- 4Ask whether you get an exclusive territory, and how large it is.
- 5Ask the brand to respond to each red flag listed under Reputation & News.
- 6Have a lawyer review the franchise agreement before paying anything.
- 7Visit 2–3 existing outlets and speak to their owners without the brand present.
Running the outletSpace, staff, launch steps, training, support and who does whatShowHide
Operations Required
What you'll need on the ground to run this franchise day-to-day.
Area Required
—
Staff Needed
—
Setup Time
—
Owner Involvement
—
Best Locations
Not published
Business Type
Not published
From First Call to Launch
Daalchini's onboarding process, step by step.
- 1
Model and city
The prospective partner picks a preferred model (FOFO, FOCO or undecided), city and number of machines.
- 2
Franchise evaluation
Daalchini explains the commercial model, location availability, timelines and support.
- 3
Partner agreement
Agreement signed, followed by onboarding: training, technology access, SOPs and location handover.
- 4
Machines go live
First machines installed at assigned locations; Daalchini's operations team monitors performance.
- 5
Grow the fleet
Partner reviews performance and adds machines.
Training & Support
What the brand provides to help you launch and run your franchise.
Operations Manual
Step-by-step playbook for running the outlet
Supply Chain Support
Vendor sourcing, inventory & logistics
Technology / POS
Billing, inventory, and management software
Marketing Support
National & local marketing campaigns
Launch Support
Pre-opening setup and grand-opening assistance
Ongoing Field Support
Regular visits and operational coaching
Who Does What
Per franchisorHow Daalchini splits the work between the brand and you, as the brand describes it.
Daalchini
Handled centrally by the brand
- 1
Operations (FOCO)
In FOCO Daalchini handles location scouting, restocking, maintenance, logistics and troubleshooting.
- 2
Locations
BD team secures and hands over high-footfall sites; FOFO partners may also bring their own.
- 3
Supply and procurement
Stock from Daalchini's network of 600+ brands at system rates.
- 4
Technology
IoT monitoring dashboard, digital payments, operator app, remote diagnostics and 24x7 customer support.
You (franchisee)
Your local responsibilities
- 1
Own the machines
Partner buys and owns the vending machines in both models (minimum 5).
- 2
Daily operations (FOFO)
In FOFO the partner restocks and runs the machines day to day.
Training Programme
Ongoing Support
What Daalchini franchisees say
We haven't yet heard from enough Daalchini franchisees to show anything. We publish totals once 3 or more people who run an outlet have answered and we've called each one to check.
I run a Daalchini outlet — share how it wentFrequently Asked Questions
What is the total investment for a Daalchini franchise?
How long does Daalchini say it takes to recover the investment?
What training does Daalchini provide?
Is Daalchini's ₹1.5 lakh price for one machine or the whole franchise?
What are the exit terms if I want to leave the Daalchini franchise?
Who supplies the stock for Daalchini machines?
Do I have to find locations for the machines myself?
How does a FOCO partner earn, and at what rate?
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