V.G. Siddhartha founded Cafe Coffee Day in 1996, starting with a single outlet in Bangalore. It has since expanded to over 1500 outlets across India, becoming the largest coffee chain in the country. Siddhartha obtained an economics degree and worked in financial services before starting CCD. Under his leadership, CCD has diversified into coffee production, exports, retail outlets, vending machines, and other subsidiaries. It has received several awards for being India's most popular coffee brand and one of the most trusted. CCD employs over 5000 people and continues to grow its business across India's food and beverage sector.