Brands
Kenstar appoints Milan Wahi as the new COO
MUMBAI: Kenstar has appointed Milan Wahi as its chief operations officer with immediate effect. In his new role, Wahi will be responsible for contributing to Kenstar’s by and large strategy for establishing it as one of the most preferred premium small home appliances brands for consumers in India. For the most part, he will oversee brand building, product development and distribution expansion for Kenstar.
Speaking on the occasion Wahi stated “I am ecstatic and excited to be a part of the Kenstar family. Kenstar has a great heritage and goodwill across the country and offers consumers’ international quality products. There is a tremendous prospect for augmentation in small home appliances category and our focus would be on driving secondary sales through widening the distribution network and building Kenstar’s brand equity.”
Wahi has an extensive background with over 24 years of experience in various consumer sectors like FMCG, consumer durables etc. He has contributed his efforts to many topnotch companies and brands in various capacities such as head sales, head trade marketing, worked extensively on brand building, and has in-depth knowledge of FMCG distribution. Previously, Wahi served as the chief operating officer of J K Dairy and the managing director of Lotte India Corporation. He has also had successful stints at Cavin Kare Pvt. Ltd, VST Industries Ltd, and Whirlpool Of India Ltd to name a few.
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.
