When coffee is not just about loyalty, but royalty as well…

Bengaluru: The House of Berunda recently unveiled Berunda Coffee, its premium Karnataka estate coffee brand, at an exclusive launch soirée — and put the coffee at the centre of the room.

Guests moved between brewing stations pouring all three debut variants: Drona through the South Indian filter it was blended for, Arjuna and Gajendra as hand-poured brews — each served alongside the story of the palace elephant it is named for.

The evening opened with a traditional Ganesh Aarti, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Maharajkumari Kamakshi Devi Wadiyar of Mysore and M.J Dinesh , Chairman, Coffee Board.

A Bharatanatyam performance by the Tharang Academy of Art followed, before members of the House of Berunda addressed guests on the brand’s origins.

Other attendees included Maharajkumar Aatmanya Dev of the Wadwan royal family, Vikram Iyer, Consul-General of Peru, Nayantara Urs, Hema Mandana and other celebrated Barista Champions from Karnataka’s coffee, design and hospitality circles.

The collection they tasted is deliberately built as three distinct crafts: Drona, a sun-dried Arabica-Robusta blend (60/40, medium dark) named for the elephant who carried Mysore’s Golden Howdah for a record 18 consecutive years; Arjuna, a washed BR Hills Arabica (medium light), named for the howdah bearer who died in 2023 defending his handlers from a wild tusker; and Gajendra, a rare small-lot honey-process Arabica, named for the working kumki elephant still in state service.

All three are AA-grade, chicory-free, roast-date stamped and sourced from Chikmagalur, the BR Hills and Coorg.

Speaking at the launch, Rajkumari Jayapalashri Anil, Founder, House of Berunda, said: “My mother used to tell me about waking as a child to the smell of fresh coffee, watching her father savour his morning cup. Coffee, in our family, was never just a drink — it connected generations long before I understood why. So tonight is not really a brand launch. It is a continuation of something that began at our family table, long before I was born.”

Dhushyant Anil, Founding Member and great-grandson of the last Maharaja of Mysore, added: “Legacy is meaningful only if it continues to evolve. We are not asking anyone tonight to admire our history — we are asking you to taste what Karnataka can do. If the cup convinces you, the story will take care of itself.”

The evening  drew on the traditions of the Mysore royal household, with Karnataka regional dishes paired course by course with the three coffees — Drona with milk against the richer plates, Arjuna black alongside the lighter ones, Gajendra closing the evening in place of dessert wine.

The founders closed with three commitments for the road ahead: more variants to come; sustainability as a non-negotiable, from shade-grown sourcing to sun-dried processing; and a promise to bring more women into the story at every step — on the estates, in the roastery and at the leadership table.

It is a pointed ambition in an industry where Karnataka grows roughly 71 per cent of India’s coffee and the country’s exports just set a US$2.13 billion record, yet the growers’ side of the story is rarely told at the premium shelf.

The collection is available in 250g ground packs and single-serve pour-over boxes of five.