THE MODERN DAY TALE OF POWER

Malavika Hedge, the wife of late Café Coffee Day CEO VG Siddhartha inspired many women to stand up for themselves and face the challenges of life fearlessly.

Many thought that Cafe Coffee Day would not survive due to the death of VG Siddhartha, CEO of India’s most famous coffeehouse chain, a man who introduced coffee culture to India. But Malavika Hedge, decided to stand up to fulfill her husband’s dream. When she was first briefed by her husband about selling a Rs 5 cup of coffee at Rs 25, she had laughed at it, thinking who would buy such an expensive coffee. But since the first shop opening, CCD became an urban culture. It became a hub for friends to meet, corporate employees to work from and an active dating option for singles.

Reports suggest, Hegde joined the company Coffee Day Enterprise Ltd (CDEL) at a time when it was under Rs 7,000 crore debt. Even though it was a huge amount of debt for her to repay, Malavika decided to stand up to her problems instead of turning her back. To preserve her late husband’s legacy, the first thing Hegde had to take care of was to pay all the debt of the company. By March 2021, she managed to reduce it to Rs 1,731 crore. This reduction took place when the entire world business was reeling under the economic crisis due to the coronavirus led pandemic and successive lockdowns. Malavika successfully maintained the brand’s value and name, while proving it to new investors that CCD was “Worth saving”. Malavika Hegde hasn’t only proved to be courageous but has also managed to showcase her skills and talent as a CEO. CCD has once again started to emerge in India’s coffee business. Currently, CCD owns around 572 cafes around the country, along with 333 value express kiosks. She’s an inspiration to many, the woman who rose like a phoenix and is the reason behind CCD’s rebirth.