Brands
Mohit Rane named head of marketing and communication at TotalEnergies
MUMBAI: Mohit Rane has stepped into a bigger spotlight at TotalEnergies, taking on the role of head of marketing and communication for India. The promotion marks a key moment for both Rane and the energy major, as it sharpens its brand voice in a market racing towards transition and transformation.
In his expanded role, Rane will steer marketing and communications across India, with a clear mandate. Build the brand, deepen stakeholder engagement and lend momentum to TotalEnergies’ clean energy ambitions and business growth plans. In short, he is now the custodian of how the company tells its story in one of its most important markets.
Rane is no stranger to the organisation. Over the past two years, he has worn multiple hats at TotalEnergies, moving from Strategy and Business Development to leading the Clean Cooking Project, before landing this top marketing role in January 2026. Each stint added a new layer, from commercial strategy to on-ground impact, making his elevation a natural next step.
Before joining TotalEnergies, Rane spent over 13 years at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, where he rose through the ranks across operations, engineering, sales, marketing and corporate strategy. The journey took him from refinery floors and regional offices to the company’s headquarters, giving him a rare, end to end view of India’s energy ecosystem.
He began his career with Larsen and Toubro as a project trainee, laying the technical foundation that continues to inform his business decisions today.
With a blend of engineering roots, strategic thinking and marketing muscle, Rane now finds himself at the crossroads of brand building and energy transition. For TotalEnergies India, the message is clear. The story ahead will be sharper, louder and told with purpose.
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.
