Sudhir Shah, managing director, Scoops Ice Cream, has been appointed as president of the committee.
The key mandate of the body will be to counsel the IICMA and its members on the best strategies and practices needed to grow while navigating the unique challenges in the marketplace during the pandemic and its aftermath. The IICMA said the timing of the committee's formation is especially critical as the industry begins to open up to a new market landscape.
"Navigating the market during and after the global pandemic will be challenging, but it is also an opportunity for innovation in packaging, manufacturing and distribution to ensure the hygiene of the products and earning the trust of our consumers," Shah said.
"Our new managing committee and its advisory committee will help IICMA build a roadmap to this goal while helping companies regain their foothold in the market and contribute to rebuilding our country's economy."
The managing committee has appointed Rajesh Gandhi, managing director, Vadilal Ice Creams India, as the chairman; Ashish Nahar, director, Fun India Dairy Ice Creams, as secretary; Chetan Ballal, Gloria Ice Creams, as joint secretary; Pradeep Pai, managing director, Hangyo Ice Creams, as treasurer; Yathish Chander, Cosmos Ice Creams, as joint treasurer; Anuvrat Pabrai, CEO of Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice creams, as regional vice president - east; Girish Pai, director, Natural Ice Cream, as regional vice president - west; Charanjit Basant, managing director, Basant ice creams Pvt Ltd, as regional vice president - north; and Balaraju Anantharamu, director, Dairy Classic Ice Cream Pvt Ltd, as regional vice president – south.
Committee members are Chandra Kant Bhardwaj, senior vice president - operations, Devyani Food Industries (Creambell Ice Cream); Simon John, managing director Laaza ice creams; Arun Ramani, managing director top n town; LK Narsimhan, M.D fab ice creams; and Himanshu Kanwar, GM - Ice Creams at Unilever. Advisroy committee members are Hasan Akbar Ali, Fun India Dairy Ice Creams; Basudeo Talhani, golden ice creams; and Harinder Kumar, lotus ice creams. RG Chandramogan, Chairman of Hatsun Agro Product Ltd, is a chief advisor.
The non-profit IICMA, founded in 2011, aims to provide a platform to share best practices, knowledge and strategies among its members to promote the growth of the ice cream industry in India.