In 1980, a 46-day strike between merchants and daily workers in Ariyangaadi, Thrissur, led merchants to realize the need for a unified organization. In 1981, key figures from all 14 districts of Kerala formed KVVES in Ernakulam, with Sir CM George as president, Sir MO John as general secretary, and Sir Jose as treasurer. The organization aimed to support merchants statewide, forming district committees for better management. The first community meetup was held in 1981 in Calicut, followed by others in Trivandrum. KVVES also addressed issues like unemployment for daily wage workers, showing that merchants and workers were interconnected. They fought against unfair laws, holding two major strikes in Parliament. In 2005, the introduction of VAT, followed by GST in 2017, led to a significant strike in Trivandrum, forcing the government to revise harsh tax laws. The association also organized charity programs, providing essentials like food, clothes, and study materials, helping communities beyond just merchants. Today, KVVES stands as the largest merchant organization in Kerala and one of the biggest in India.