Our Story

A Humble Start in Bandra

In pre-Independence India, a young P K Appoo from Thrissur, Kerala, moved to Bombay in search of a livelihood. He found work at a bakery called Vienna. In the late 1950s, as Europeans began leaving the country, the owner decided to shut shop and offered to sell the machinery.

Appoo bought the equipment, opened his own bakery in Bandra, and continued with the same name — Vienna. The bakery began with breads and pavs, following the traditional pheriwala system where vendors would load red boxes onto bicycles and deliver door to door.

The Ramakrishnan Era Begins

The business expanded significantly when P A Ramakrishnan, a law graduate, joined in the 1970s. He added a catering vertical focused on Christian weddings. Back then, weddings were often in the evening and catering meant snacks like sandwiches, rolls, puffs, cake and ice cream.

It was also during his tenure that Vienna's most iconic product took shape. While a traditional plum cake existed earlier, slicing it often caused fruit loss. So the recipe was changed to include more nuts, raisins and spices — it retains the fruit and doesn't crumble while slicing.

Introduced around 1975, the rich plum cake quickly became a bestseller and remains our signature product to this day.

A Sudden Loss, A Matriarch Steps Up

In 1996, tragedy struck when Ramakrishnan passed away at just 42. His wife, Jiji Ramakrishnan, stepped in to run the business, joined soon after by their elder daughter, Indu Natesan.

Under their leadership, Vienna expanded rapidly. In the early 2000s, they launched 11 outlets across Mumbai, including Andheri, Vikhroli, Mahim and Malad. Natesan also introduced a fresh counter serving puddings, custard, Black Forest and pineapple cakes.

Jiji's strength and determination kept the legacy alive, proving that Vienna was more than a business — it was a family's promise to Mumbai.

The Third Generation

Tara Raj, who studied craft baking at Sophia College, joined the family business in 2016. Together with her sister Indu Natesan, they now run the bakery with a perfect blend of tradition and modern science.

"We've tried to keep things exactly as they were, but now that we understand the science behind our processes, we've made small improvements without changing the taste," Tara explains. One such tweak involved reducing fat in puffs and croissants by about 10% through better layering rather than extra fat in the dough.

The sisters also introduced an eggless range and expanded their selection of snacks and tea cakes, including banana, walnut, dry fruit, plum and ribbon cake.

Vienna Bakery Today

Today, Vienna Bakery operates from its flagship location at Vakola, Santacruz East, with a presence in several retail outlets across Mumbai. The bakery has adapted to modern times — 40 to 50% of business now comes through Swiggy and Zomato.

Despite a flood of new patisseries, Vienna's customer base remains steady. "We are a low-margin business," Tara notes. "Even a Rs 5 price increase disappoints people, they tell us so directly. And we like it that way. This is a place built on relationships, and we want to continue serving the people who've grown up with us."

The Christmas queues still stretch down Vakola Pipe Lane, and the chicken patties still sell out by noon. Some traditions, it seems, are worth keeping.