HOCCO enters East India, bringing innovation and cultural connection to Kolkata

HOCCO, the new-age Indian ice cream brand known for its innovative products and distinctive brand experiences, has announced its entry into East India, marking an important milestone in its journey to build a pan-India brand rooted in local connections and cultural relevance.

For HOCCO, entering a new market goes beyond making its products available on shelves. It is about understanding the people, traditions and everyday moments that make a place unique, and finding ways for the brand to become a part of them. From product innovation and placement to channel activations and communication, HOCCO’s approach is centred on building connections with consumers even before they take their first bite.

Kolkata, with its deep-rooted love for food, music, art and celebration, offers a distinctive starting point for this journey. Timed around Durga Puja, HOCCO’s East India launch brings together local inspiration, creative expression and on-ground experiences to introduce the brand to the city.

A key highlight of the launch is HOCCO Payesh Ice Cream, inspired by the traditional Bengali dessert that holds a special place in celebrations and auspicious occasions. Served in a matka, the offering brings a familiar regional favourite into the world of ice cream, reflecting HOCCO’s approach to innovation: finding inspiration in local tastes and traditions while creating something new.

Extending this approach beyond the product, the brand has also introduced a special Durga Puja anthem that draws on Kolkata’s relationship with music and its festive spirit. Alongside this, innovative hoardings and on-ground installations across the city bring HOCCO into Kolkata’s festive landscape, creating opportunities for people to encounter the brand beyond the point of purchase.

Together, these initiatives reflect a broader belief that building a brand is as much about the experiences, conversations and cultural moments it creates as it is about the product itself.

Speaking about the launch, Roli Shrivastava, CMO at Hocco Ice creams said, “We’re really excited to bring HOCCO to East India. Every new market gives us an opportunity to learn, experiment and build new connections, and Kolkata is a particularly special place to begin this journey. It has such a distinct personality, a deep love for food and music, and an incredible energy during Pujo. We wanted our entry to be about more than just launching our ice creams here. From Payesh to our Pujo anthem, we’ve tried to bring a little of HOCCO into the things people here already love. We have a lot to learn from this market, and we’re looking forward to being a part of Kolkata’s everyday moments and celebrations in the years ahead.”

The launch has been brought to life with Havas Creative India, which conceptualised the Payesh Ice Cream and the Durga Puja anthem, and Coral Media, which led the hoardings and innovative installations across Kolkata. These collaborations bring together product innovation, creative storytelling and impactful outdoor experiences to introduce HOCCO to a new audience.

With its East India entry, HOCCO continues to build on its ambition of becoming a nationally relevant Indian ice cream brand, bringing its spirit of innovation to new markets while drawing inspiration from the cultures, tastes and communities that make each of them unique.