Brands
BigTrunk Communications names Santosh Pawar SVP – business
MUMBAI: BigTrunk Communications has appointed Santosh Pawar as senior vice president – business, bolstering the agency’s push into growth, partnerships and market expansion.
Pawar brings more than a decade of leadership experience across some of India’s biggest broadcast and entertainment networks. He has held national sales roles at Sun TV Network and Shemaroo Entertainment, and earlier served as zonal head – sales at Zee Entertainment Enterprises. Over the years, he has built large advertiser relationships, driven regional revenue strategies and navigated complex media landscapes at scale.
His move to BigTrunk reflects the growing overlap between traditional media sales and digital performance marketing, as brands increasingly look for integrated, measurable solutions across platforms.
Speaking on his new role, Pawar said the agency was at an exciting phase where digital strategies were directly shaping business outcomes. He added that he looked forward to using his experience in media partnerships and market expansion to help the company scale its impact and build stronger brand relationships.
BigTrunk Communications founder and managing director Bharat Subramaniam, said Pawar’s experience in national media sales would add depth to the leadership team. He noted that Pawar’s understanding of brand ecosystems and market dynamics would support the agency’s growth and strengthen its partner-led approach across sectors.
With the appointment, BigTrunk continues to reinforce its leadership bench as it expands its footprint across India and international markets.
Brands
Hocco crosses Rs 530cr revenue in two years
Sauce.vc-led Rs 100cr raise values ice cream brand at Rs 2,500cr pre-money as quick commerce hits 20 per cent of sales.
MUMBAI: Hocco has just scooped a seriously sweet milestone crossing the Rs 530 crore revenue mark in just two full years of operations. The fast-growing Indian ice cream and indulgence brand announced it has raised Rs 100 crore in fresh capital led by Sauce.vc. The round values the company at Rs 2,500 crore pre-money and underscores investor confidence in its rapid scale and distinctive India-first approach.
Founder Ankit Chona said the brand’s success stems from solving real Indian challenges extreme summer heat, fragmented cold chains and culturally rooted tastes. “In India, product development doesn’t end in the lab. It only ends when it survives the street,” he noted. This philosophy has produced viral hits such as Aamchi mango ice cream, BIX cake-sponge sandwiches, the Oh cone and culturally relevant collaborations like Haldiram’s Barfi and festive Modak specials.
Hocco currently operates manufacturing facilities in Ahmedabad and Panipat with a production capacity of approximately 3 lakh litres per day, running near full capacity in peak season. The fresh capital will help expand this to around 4.5 lakh litres per day.
Quick commerce has emerged as a major growth engine, now contributing ~20 per cent of overall business and growing nearly 2x year-on-year. The channel has boosted product discovery, increased consumption frequency and helped extend ice cream beyond its traditional seasonal limits.
Sauce.vc founder Manu Chandra said, “At Sauce, we believe that when you chance upon an outlier business, you double down with stronger conviction. We see Hocco as just that.”
With a strong innovation pipeline, deeper distribution and continued focus on cultural relevance, Hocco is entering its third year aiming to capture even more mind space and market share. In a category long dominated by legacy players, this young brand is proving that the coolest way to win is to build for India’s realities, one scoop, one street and one satisfied craving at a time.
