In the quaint town of Sivakasi, known for its firecrackers, RG Chandramogan’s early life was shrouded in challenges. Despite the town’s fame for matchboxes, his family struggled to run a small provisional store, and Chandramogan faced academic setbacks, especially in his favourite subject, Mathematics.
A Bold Move and the Birth of Arunodyam
Undeterred by adversity, the 21-year-old Chandramogan sold his ancestral property for Rs 13,000, dropped out of school, and embarked on a journey to establish an ice candy business. Renting a modest 250 sq ft space in Royapuram, Chennai, he named his brand “Arunodyam,” inspired by the Tamil word for Sun rays. Thus, in 1970, Arun was born.
Pushcarts, Success, and the First Year
Chandramogan’s visionary idea was simple—sell sticks and cup ice candies through pushcarts to college students. With three employees, six tricycles, and 15 pushcarts, Arun quickly gained popularity, generating 1.5 Lakhs in revenue within the first year. The success prompted rapid expansion, the factory churned out 10,000 candies a day, even serving as Chandramogan’s bedroom at night. Expanding to ship chandlers supplying food to vessels, by 1974, Arun dominated 95% of the college canteen and ship chandler market.
Diversifying Into Ice Creams and Dairy
Recognizing the seasonal nature of the ice candy business, Chandramogan expanded to ice creams and dairy in 1981. Arun Ice Creams was born, setting the stage for further growth. In the competitive 1980s ice cream market, Chandramogan faced formidable rivals. Undeterred, he packed ice creams with rice and distributed them on trains, targeting rural ice cream parlours. By 1985, Arun Ice Cream became Tamil Nadu’s largest ice cream seller by volume. Expanding to Kerala and Andhra Pradesh by 1995, Arun Ice Cream became the largest in South India, with 700 outlets. Diversifying into liquid milk marketing with “Arokya,” by 2001, the combined businesses reached 100 CR.
Masterstrokes and the Ibaco Era
Chandramogan introduced premium ice cream parlours under “Ibaco,” offering unlimited scoops and innovative marketing strategies. These moves propelled Arun Ice Creams to a 2000 CR business by 2014, leading to its public listing on NSE.By 2020, the conglomerate, including Hatsun, achieved revenues surpassing 5000 CR. Chandramogan’s visionary approach resulted in the creation of 2800 ice cream parlours, making Hatsun the largest private-sector dairy company in India.
The Legacy Continues
Today, Hatsun boasts a vast network of 10,500 milk banks, 50,000 employees, and 14 plants across 12,000 villages, producing 60,000 litres of ice cream daily.
The man who started with Rs 13,000 has become the Ice Cream Mogul of South India, leaving an indelible mark on the dairy industry.
