40:I[185,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/2aeejfufo02km.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/2qm8z4gyuajgj.js","/_next/static/chunks/3jnlvw-emqotx.js"],"SendEmailButton"] 42:I[63625,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/2aeejfufo02km.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/2qm8z4gyuajgj.js","/_next/static/chunks/3jnlvw-emqotx.js"],"AddToLibraryButton"] 43:I[29721,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/2aeejfufo02km.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/2qm8z4gyuajgj.js","/_next/static/chunks/3jnlvw-emqotx.js"],"ShareButton"] 44:I[58016,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/2aeejfufo02km.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/2qm8z4gyuajgj.js","/_next/static/chunks/3jnlvw-emqotx.js"],"ProcessEpisodeButton"] 45:I[45269,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/2aeejfufo02km.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/2qm8z4gyuajgj.js","/_next/static/chunks/3jnlvw-emqotx.js"],"SignupCTA"] 3a:["$","div",null,{"className":"flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-4 gap-y-1 font-mono text-[12px] uppercase tracking-[0.1em] text-[color:var(--fg-3)]","children":[["$","time",null,{"dateTime":"2026-07-22T22:58:17.000Z","children":"July 22, 2026"}],["$","span",null,{"aria-hidden":true,"children":"·"}],["$","span",null,{"children":"00:10:16"}],false]}] 41:T4a3,

No coffee chain in India is clearly profitable. Third Wave Coffee, which lost 110 crore rupees in FY24 with nearly 70% of its stores in the red, is trying to change that with cake. Its new sub-brand, Third Rush, has put around 200 dessert items on the menu, with plans for 50 cafes by year-end.

CEO Rajat Luthra, former head of KFC India, has already pared the losses. The dessert margins clear 50% and the chain badly needs the footfall.

But customers walk into Third Wave for coffee not tres leches.

Can desserts turn the business around without changing its identity?

*Apply to become The Ken’s Intermission Producer
*Apply for an audio production internship

Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.