Brands
Sachin Tendulkar’s JV partnership with Arvind Fashions launches brand True Blue
New Delhi: Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has joined Arvind Fashion Brands Ltd in a joint venture partnership to launch premium apparel and accessories brand for men’s wear called True Blue. The growing menswear category has been a strong decision maker to launch the brand. True Blue will launch 25-30 stores across India and plans to target a turnover of Rs 200 crore in the next 5 years.
The apparel range designed and led by Sachin’s persona will showcase 300 styles inspired from the heart of India and is priced at Rs 1,199 onwards. The brand will see its first offline store launch in May 2016 in Mumbai.
At the announcement today, Arvind Fashion Brands Limited CEO Rajiv Mehta said, “Arvind is already known to be a dominating and leading retail giant in the business of brands. The retail industry and the overall sentiment towards homegrown brands are very strong. Our expertise combined with Sachin’s unmatched love for anything Indian boosted our decision and that brought into play this significant joint venture partnership”.
He further added “Built and launched with a vision to become one of India’s most iconic and admired brands, True Blue is an independent strong brand targeted towards the modern Indian consumer segment, creating a long-term brand equity value. Our apparel aims to dip into every Indian sentiment and it has something to offer to everyone who loves anything Indian with that modern touch to it. We believe the brand has all the right ingredients for its success.”
At the launch of his first ever fashion brand, Sachin Tendulkar added “The thought of crafting something highly iconic and that every Indian can talk to has been on my mind for a long time. When Arvind Fashion Brands shared this vision with me, there was a real synergy in our thoughts. Through our partnership, we will deliver an unmatched and never seen before range of clothing experiences that combine Indian elements with a modern artistic touch. You’ll see a lot of my own identity in the clothes and I hope you find it as inspiring as I did while creating True Blue!”
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.
