‘Bou HQ: How coffee and curiosity fueled SuperLit’s founders from startups to retail tech
Welcome to ‘Bou HQ* – Caribou Coffee’s ongoing series of spotlight entrepreneurs whose best ideas started where community happens – over coffee. In this edition, we sat down with Sachin Bhakta who joined a startup right out of college, worked his way up to CEO of a healthcare electronic claims company and now, with co-founder Brendan Maas, is pioneering big changes in retail data.
‘Bou HQ: Sachin, your career spans consumer-packaged goods to cutting-edge retail tech. How did you first connect with your business partner Brendan?
SB: We both grew up in Santa Fe, NM, attended the same high school, (he was in track, I played baseball) and we got our MIS degrees from UNM. We were living parallel lives but never met. Then when I ended up interviewing him for a role at the healthcare tech startup, I felt I was reading my own resume back to myself. Brendan helped build and guide that start up with me, then we both went our separate ways. Years later, when my wife Preya Bhakta was launching Elli Quark, a German-style dairy brand introducing quark to the U.S. market, I jumped on board as VP Operations and brought Brendan back in to help round out the team. Together we built the brand, got into grocery stores and Target – and we spent a lot of time planning our next moves at the Caribou Coffee across the street, our unofficial second HQ. When I think back to those days, we learned a lot about retail, operations and without knowing it, we were laying the foundations for SuperLit.
‘Bou HQ: Tell us about SuperLit. What’s the concept and how did you get started?
SB: The pandemic made business difficult for many retail brands, so after Elli Quark, we thought about what’s next. Brendan and I came back together with an idea to create game changing technology for everyone from retailers to restaurants, hospitality, healthcare and public venues. Think of it like Google Analytics for the real world. We provide “physical observability” data – without personal tracking or cameras – to help brands understand who comes in, where they go, what draws their attention and how they engage in different environments. The data helps organizations understand how to create a better customer experience in real-time.
‘Bou HQ: That’s a big leap from yogurt to AI-empowered analytics. What ties it all together for you?
SB: Curiosity and connection. Whether it’s food or technology, I’m drawn to understanding people — what excites them, what drives decisions, how they interact with a brand. My career has taught me to trust my instincts, but also to measure what matters. SuperLit is a direct evolution of that mindset — helping others get clarity about their customers in a way that feels human, not intrusive.
‘Bou HQ: We know coffee clearly plays a role in your story. What’s your Caribou connection?
SB: Caribou has been a part of my entrepreneurial journey. I first encountered Caribou on campus at Einstein’s Bagels in Albuquerque visiting family and friends back home. And then, of course, the downtown Minneapolis Caribou near Target HQ also became our go-to celebration spot after meetings with buyers — it was like a little ritual. Open, welcoming, comforting. There was always some great networking to be done there as well as a great spot to meet up with colleagues and make new friends.
‘Bou HQ: We have to ask – what’s your favorite order?
SB: My go-to is a caramel latte with an extra espresso shot. It’s comfort and creativity in a cup. For Brendan, his order’s a classic chai latte. And for Preya, she’s the wildcard in our group, we never really know what she is going to order, usually a mocha-something that catches her eye from the seasonal menu.
‘Bou HQ: You say SuperLit is in stealth mode right now because it’s cutting-edge tech. How do you keep momentum when you can’t talk publicly about everything you’re building?
SB: Even in stealth mode, connection is everything. We go to networking events, we meet people in coffee shops, and we talk about what’s possible. You never know which conversation will lead to your next partner, client, or breakthrough. Every entrepreneur should build those relationships early — even when your product isn’t fully in the spotlight yet. And all the better if it happens in a Caribou.
Final sip
At ‘Bou HQ, we celebrate innovators who turn coffeehouse conversations into companies that connect people. If you have a story of a business idea or your next big thing that was sparked at a Caribou coffeehouse, we’d love to hear from you. Submit your story – and you could be featured in an upcoming edition.
*The opinions expressed in this story are those of the individual or organization featured, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Caribou Coffee. Caribou Coffee is not affiliated, does not endorse, or receive a benefit from any organization, business, or individual featured in ‘Bou HQ. All photos are used with permission and remain the property of their respective owners.