The traditional Madrid company, Vienna Chaplains, specialized in artisan pastries, gourmet catering services and prepared dishes, this year celebrates its 150th anniversary. Founded in 1873 by Matías Lacasa, and pioneer in the introduction in Spain of Viena bread, the brand is also a forerunner of French pastry, home delivery or catering services.
Two world wars, a civil war, two pandemics and countless recessions are some of the events that the company has experienced, characterized by knowing how to adapt to the times and continue with its activity and growth successfully.
On the centenary and a half of the beginning of its activity in the capital, the company celebrates this very special date with the comprehensive renewal of its website and its own delivery App “My Vienna”; limited editions of products; new dishes that will reinvent their menus, or commemorative packaging and reissues of their hundred-year-old desserts and sweets such as cream bars, anise donuts, or mojicones.
In addition, the company is renewing its fleet of vans for other, more efficient delivery vehicles, continuing with its environmental commitment. They have added to their fleet a gas hybrid van and two electric hybrid vans. They have also begun to replace supervisor and management vehicles with electric hybrids. With these measures, more than 20% of the company’s fleet has an ECO label.
And to complete this celebration, Viena Capellanes has produced a 12-chapter documentary about its 150-year history, entitled “A story with a lot of crumb”.
Family tradition and love for Madrid
Viena Capellanes maintains the essence of a family business and was linked during its first stage to the Baroja family; At the end of the 19th century it was run by the writer Pío Baroja himself and his brother Ricardo, nephews of the founder. Later, in the first decade of the 20th century, it was acquired by Manuel Lence and, since then, it has remained under the direction of this family, which already has four generations.
Vienna’s first loaf of bread It was marketed in its original tahona 150 years ago, on January 30, 1873, in the first bakery that the company had located at Calle de la Misericordia 2, corner with Calle de Los Capellanes (currently Calle del Maestro Victoria) and received its name from the rooms that they had in the building the Chaplains of the Descalzas Reales Convent.
“From this first product, and from this first bakery in Misericordia con Capellanes -which gave rise to our name-, the growth and consolidation of the company has been based on quality, product innovation, as well as a careful and personalized attention”, says Antonio Lence, general director of Viena Capellanes.
present and future
Throughout all these years, Viena Capellanes has managed to expand its business and currently has 25 establishments in Madrid, a central workshop in Alcorcón, almost 40 Vienna Corners in different companies. In addition, they have a Viena Capellanes Cooking School, which more than 2,000 students have already attended, weekly healthy eating packs for home or the office, their own delivery App, catering service for corporate or family events, and the hotel Viena Suites, located very close to Plaza de España. Thus, the company has more than 450 employees who are part of this family that is living its 150-year history.
“If something is clear to us at Viena Capellanes, it is that our history is based on its people, those who have been part of this family and those who continue to make it possible for us, with their work, to take care of every detail, putting care and affection in everything that we do, without neglecting innovation and research in our trade”, Lence concludes.
