Theobroma : From Four Tables in Colaba to the Nation's Favourite
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Everyday at Hour Space, we see start-ups taking the leaps to build something great. Just across our coworking space lies the ultimate reminder of where those leaps can lead: the origin story of two sisters who bet everything on a name that nobody could pronounce, four small tables and a grandmother's kitchen.
The Journey
In October 2004, a young chef named Kainaz
Messman opened a bakery inside a former
doctor's clinic in Cusrow Baug, Colaba. She had four small tables, a grandmother's kitchen across the street and a name new to the Indian tongue (https://scroll.in/article/939553/how-the-famous-theobroma-bakery-began-life-in-a-doctors-clinic-in-mumbais-colaba) That bakery was Theobroma meaning 'Food of the Gods'
Kainaz had quit her job at the Oberoi Udaivilas (https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-udaipur-udaivilas-resort/) after a back injury. When Kainaz's family encouraged her to open her own store, they were expecting a quiet neighbourhood joint but it turned out to be something else entirely. The brownies became iconic. The red velvet became a ritual. Theobroma gained vast popularity.
Today, Theobroma has grown into a pan India chain with stores in over 30 cities (https://theobroma.in/) and is worth around Rs. 3500 crore but that first outlet tucked into a Parsi colony just a few minutes away from Gateway is where it all began.
There's a reason stories like this keep starting in Colaba. The neighbourhood has always attracted people who want to build a place. Somewhere that feels like it belongs to the people who use it. Somewhere with a little history in the walls and a little ambition in the air.
That's what we think about at Hour Space, too.
We are located just 15 minutes away from the beautiful Gateway of India and 5 minutes from the iconic first outlet of Theobroma. We are a space for people who are building things - creative, small businesses, start-ups, freelancers, and many more.
Colaba has a way of holding its maker close. And we're glad to be a part of that.
PS// Come build with us. Join the community of driven startups and creators making their mark in Colaba. Visit our website to find your desk.
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