In a cozy yet steaming office in Chennai’s swanky Hatsun building, there is a story that speaks high in volume about hard work and dealing with life’s extremes in a rather ‘cool’ way.
Meet 67-year-old RG Chandramogan, who has built a Rs 8,000-crore conglomerate from just Rs 13,000 in his pocket under the brand Arun Ice Creams.
Hatsun Agro Product is today’s testimonial to strike the right chord at the right time, with a tag of the largest private dairy in India. A resident of Thiruthangal in Virudhunagar district, Chandramogan started his venture when he was a 21-year-old bot who was chasing his dreams. He dropped out of his school owing to the financial constraints, and his family went to the extent of selling all their property to start a business, quite a leap of faith. In 1970, he rented out a 250-sqft space in Royapuram with 3 employees.
In an interview with The Hindu, he stated that in the very first year, the company made an annual turnover of Rs 1,50,000 which fueled their engines, whereas, in 1986, the brand found its name Hatsun Agro Product.
They crushed the existence of any middlemen between the farmers and the firm, and cut costs by building a tiny factory-cum-sales outlet, with a proper planning. Today, the company operates from its three million-sqft office with around 8,000 employees.
In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa, Arokya and Gomatha are only two milk product lines. The company has covered the country with different region dairy units established in Kancheepuram, Salem, and Madurai for markets in Tamil Nadu and Belgaum for markets in northern Karnataka and Goa. Arun Ice Creams is a popular ice cream brand in South India, with over 1,000 exclusive parlors. Out of 1000 outlets, 148 in Karnataka ,670 are in Tamil Nadu and the rest in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
According to a report of The Business Line, the company launched Ibaco seven years ago but intended to keep the old- school way of ice cream parlors with cozy rooms, round tables, plastic chairs, and a freezer in a corner. With 80 outlets and a big number to chase, the company is chasing a promising sector.
Chandramogan today is one of 41 Indian billionaires. In 2002, his son C Sathyan was a named executive director of Hatsun Agro.
