AHMEDABAD: Homegrown ice cream manufacturer from Gujarat, Hocco Ice Creams, has scooped up a fresh round of funding—$10 million in the first tranche of its Series B round—as it aims to raise a total of Rs 300 crore ($20–25 million). The round is co-led by the Chona Family Office and Sauce VC, providing the brand with serious firepower for future expansions. “The lion’s share of this round came from the Chona Family Office. We expect to close another $10–15 million soon. There’s still price discovery happening, but the interest is strong,” said Ankit Chona, MD of Hocco Ice Creams Private Limited. “Already churning out 1.3 lakh litres of ice cream daily, we are on track to nearly double that capacity to 2.5 lakh litres per day by early 2026 and be ready to cater to more demand by next summer. The fresh capital infusion will go toward ramping up manufacturing capacities, expanding distribution, strengthening our presence in existing markets, and entering new ones,” he added. With a Rs 200 crore push into plant upgrades, retail expansion, and brand building, Hocco is well-positioned to capture the summer sweet spot with new product launches. Earlier this month, the brand quietly soft-launched Bijlee—India’s first caffeinated ice candy. With the latest funding round, the company plans to continue product innovation, develop new flavour profiles, and scale up brand marketing initiatives to reach a wider audience. Hocco’s current footprint spans Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and the NCR region. “For our next phase, we’re eyeing expansion into Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, and Goa—along with deeper penetration across MP and a foray into Telangana. We’re focusing on growing in tier-2 and tier-3 markets where premium offerings are now aspirational,” Chona further explained. Sauce VC’s founder Manu Chandra echoed the optimism, saying, “Hocco’s scale-up journey in under two years is remarkable. With rising disposable incomes and new-age platforms like quick commerce driving access, the timing is perfect. We’re thrilled to back this world-class team.”