CCD outlets reopen in Karnataka after two-day shut down

CCD founder VG Siddhartha. Pic/AFP

CCD outlets which had shut down across Karnataka on July 30 and 31 in memory of its founder and owner V G Siddhartha reopened after a two-day shutdown.

Manoj, a regular customer of CCD, Mangaluru told ANI: "I am so happy to know that the CCD outlets here have reopened again. As we all know something really bad happened and we all were shocked by the news of VG Siddhartha's demise. I have been a customer of CCD since last 10 years. It's so good to hear that their business will not stop and it will continue in future."

Yet another customer who went to an outlet for a business meeting expressed to news agency ANI that he was shocked on hearing the news of V G Siddhartha's demise and that he was a great entrepreneur. He added that the tagline of CCD says 'A lot can happen over coffee' and a lot had happened to the customers.

The customers were happy on hearing the news of the reopening of the CCD outlets. Siddhartha's body was found in Netravati river on Wednesday morning after 36 hours of intense research.

The Coffee baron's last rites were held in one of his coffee estates in his village in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka on Wednesday. Hundreds of people including his family, friends and well-wishers paid their tributes and bid him a teary goodbye. He had been missing since July 29 and committed suicide. He was the son-in-law of senior BJP leader, S.M. Krishna, who has previously served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka and was also Minister of External Affairs in the UPA-2 government.

He had written a letter for his stakeholders and employees where he said that despite his best efforts, he was not able to create a successful business model. "After 37 years, with a strong commitment to hard work, having directly created 30,000 jobs in our companies and their subsidiaries, as well as another 20,000 jobs in technology companies where I have been a large shareholder since its founding. I have failed to create the right profitable business model despite my best efforts. I would like to say I gave it my all. I am very sorry to let down all the people that put their trust in me," his letter read.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also shocked on hearing of his demise. On Thursday, she said that business failures in the country should not be tabooed, or looked down upon.

(with inputs from ANI)

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