In conversation with Bhargavi Gopinath, owner, Bun World Iyengar Bakery, Malleswaram

How I Found Malleswaram

When I wanted to start a bakery, I had no plans to come to Malleswaram. One of my family members who has a bakery in South Bangalore helped me set up here. He told me that Malleswaram was the right area for me because a lot of old Bangaloreans lived there and it still had that old charm, exactly like old Bangalore. Since he was already in the business and had grown up with his father running a bakery, it was already in his blood, so we let him choose and suggest. That's how we came to Malleswaram, and he was absolutely right. We found a nice place and everything fell into place the way he said it would.

My house was, and even now is, on Vittal Mallya Road. We had just moved to Bangalore probably around two and a half years before Bun World was started because my girls were studying in Bishop Cottons school. This is why I was unfamiliar with any area other than Vittal Mallya Road. I love the place, even though we don't see the greenery or the older houses we could before—it had that old Bangalore charm.

Thirty Years and Counting

This year the bakery is going to be 30 years old since it started in 1995. You can see a lot more buildings now, a lot more cars, fewer and fewer trees. Those days I used to take 10 to 12 minutes to reach the place. Nowadays I sometimes take 50 minutes to go back home or come to Malleswaram—that's the biggest change.

The Right Corner at the Right Time

I think I was one of the first bakeries in this area of Malleswaram. There were some in the market area on 11th Cross that were before me, and one in Seshadripuram that was older, but not much in this immediate area. The advantage was that we are located in a corner that is easily accessible for nearby school students—kids from MES, Nirmala Rani, and Ammanni College come to the bakery often. A lot of kids come from different places like Mathikere, Yeshwanthpur, and Rajajinagar. That's how our bakery got introduced to areas other than just Malleswaram. Since Malleswaram didn't have many good bakeries, it caught up very fast. Students played a big role.

Memory Triggers

I do have customers who've been coming since we started. A lot of former students have gone abroad, and when they come to Bangalore, they come here. They want to eat only the things that are registered in their memory first. Those are the triggers, and they'll make sure they have that specific item first. They try other stuff as well, but they want their familiar favorites. I have introduced some new items, but I've not taken out any of the old, traditional ones. I kept them because they are the signature of any old Bangalore bakery for Bangaloreans. They relate to things like khara bun or potato bun. Since I kept the name as a traditional bakery, I thought it made sense to keep these items.

Why We've Survived

People bake a lot at home nowadays. Home bakers are doing really well, especially in the cake business, with imagination and artistic work. With online platforms and bigger brands coming up with cakes, it hasn't really affected us. People come here at least three or four times a week for daily needs, but they might go to bigger places for anniversaries or special celebrations. It's not cost-effective for a student or anybody to pay a hundred rupees for bread regularly. Bigger brands require you to pay premium charges, which is why we still have a regular and loyal customer base. It's also the consistency of quality and service. We offer a wider range of homemade products, and even our own bakery products—we have a huge collection of cakes and biscuits. That's probably another reason for our success.

Learning the Real Job

I actually wanted to start a restaurant initially—I'm very glad I didn't! My brother-in-law suggested a bakery and said he'd help with everything but I was worried because it was totally new to me. He suggested I do a course, so I did a six-month entrepreneur development course at the agriculture college. They teach everything—not just baking, but how to set up, government licenses, how to choose people, and other things. What made the real difference for me, however, was my brother-in-law's experience and expertise. I worked in his bakery in South Bangalore for almost one and a half years while we were finding a place and setting up this bakery. Reading and getting a certificate is good, but to know the real job, you have to be there practically. That experience helped me immensely.

A Community of Long-Timers

Some people have been working here since the beginning. Two or three members of the kitchen production staff are still here, some of them in sales have been here from the early days as well. It's kind of like a community.

Learnings from Past Endeavours

I tried starting another branch in Sadashivnagar on 11th Cross, but I didn't have production there. It wasn't a disaster, but there was no encouragement. I realized that when you don't have the baking happening on-site, people don't get too attracted to visit the bakery. The aroma of the place brings people in.

Thriving in Both Worlds

We deliver through Swiggy and similar platforms, and that has helped. We actually have more customers now, including online ones. It's surprising because many physical stores are not doing well, but we're doing better with both physical and online sales.

Happy With What I'm Doing

I don't know about expanding to other places. I don't have anyone who can continue this. Both my kids have left Bangalore, and even if they come back, I don't think they'd want to do this. But I'm happy with what I'm doing. It's easier to manage. If I have more on my plate than I can handle, I won't enjoy it. There is more to life than just work. If I start doing more, that enjoyment might be compromised. When people come from outside and visit, it reminds them of their memories. It's all about those connections and the familiarity that brings people back.