The trademark of tradition

KBC was popular even before Amitabh Bachchan hosted it. But the KBC that is talked about here is the ‘Khara Bun Congress’, a speciality and sought-after bun of VB Bakery.

Started 63 years back, it is situated in the busy lane of VV Puram and invites foodies at the entrance of the food street with a variety of unmatched sweets and buns. Established by Tirumalachar in 1951, this place is presently owned by KT Srinivas, son of Tirumalachar.

Through all the changes in the City, it has stood tall and is loved by Bengalureans. Catering to the third generation customers, they are still sought after for their unparalleled bakery products.

“We were the first ones to start a bakery in the City. The other bakeries started much later and we are probably the biggest in the City. A conservatively attuned bakery, we have a philanthropic attitude attached to the place that has resulted in our popularity,” says the manager of the place. 

This place with it high traditional values has loyal employees who have made this bakery their home. It has also helped a lot of small-scale entrepreneurs earn their living by selling the best quality of bakery items at a low price. The concept of wholesale in bakery items was their idea says the manager.

“People cycled to the bakery and bought in large scale the buns and sweets for lesser rates. These products were then sold at different outlets including the small tea shops,” he explains.

The only large-scale bakery at that time, they catered to the huge corporate sector in the City. “There were many government employees who were regulars here and now they share their nostalgic memories of the place. We have catered, and even now cater to a large corporate sector who buy 16,000 to 1,00,000 buns from us for special occasions,” he says. 

This bakery has helped the emergence of many other bakeries in the State. “Many boys who worked here have moved away to different cities for good and they have started a small unit of their own. But they are a grateful bunch of people and they credit their success to Tirumalachar as they have his photograph framed at the entrance of their bakery. They even want to squeeze in the VB initials in the name of the bakery,” he says.

‘Khara Bun Congress’ with butter and roasted peanuts, butter biscuits, kesari biscuits, puffs, cakes...they have a wide variety of traditional bakery items that gives a sense of nostalgia among the food lovers. They design special menu for the weekends that include extraordinary sweets like dumroot that have gastronomers going gaga over its taste. “There are people coming in from Whitefield and Hoskote to taste these special sweets and buns available only here,” he says. 

A trademark of quality and taste, this place has maintained the tradition, at the same time, adopted to innovation and modernity and is proudly serving a loyal group of satisfied customers.