Demel
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA historic Viennese confectioner and coffeehouse known for cakes, pastries, chocolates, and traditional imperial-era service.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Demel is an Austrian confectionery, pâtisserie, and coffeehouse brand founded in Vienna in 1786. Its principal establishment stands at Kohlmarkt 14 in the Innere Stadt, close to the Hofburg, and occupies a prominent place in the history of Viennese coffeehouse and pastry culture. The business is associated with elaborate cakes, Viennoiserie, pralines, chocolates, ice cream, and coffeehouse service, as well as with a highly formal style of hospitality traditionally delivered by its white-aproned waitresses, known as Demelinerinnen. The enterprise began on Michaelerplatz under Ludwig Dehne, a confectioner from Württemberg. After Dehne's death in 1799, his widow continued the shop on behalf of their son August Dehne. She later acquired a building at Michaelerplatz 14, and August assumed control in 1832. In 1857, when August's son chose an academic career, the business was sold to Christoph Demel, whose family gave the establishment the name by which it became widely known. Christoph's sons Joseph and Karl later operated it as Ch. Demel's Söhne. Demel's association with the Habsburg court was formalized in 1874, when Emperor Franz Joseph I granted it the designation of an official purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court, specifically as a court confectioner. The demolition of the old Burgtheater and the redevelopment of Michaelerplatz in 1888 led the business to move around the corner to Kohlmarkt. The Kohlmarkt premises, with a Neo-Baroque interior designed by Portois and Fix, remain the brand's historic center. During the late Austro-Hungarian period, Demel attracted members of the imperial and aristocratic social world, including Empress Elisabeth, commonly known as Sisi, Princess Pauline von Metternich, and actress Katharina Schratt. Its historical clientele and location helped make it a symbol of Viennese luxury and ceremonial café culture. The business also retained a visible place in Vienna's twentieth-century social history, including during the period of the Anschluss and the Second World War, when prominent Nazi officials were among its customers. The Demel family controlled the company until 1972, when entrepreneur Udo Proksch acquired it and established the Club 45 social venue on the first floor. Following Proksch's arrest in connection with the Lucona affair in 1989, Raiffeisen Bank became the owner. In 2002, the restaurant and catering group DO & CO took over Demel. Under DO & CO, Demel has continued as an operating confectionery and café brand while retaining its historic identity and Vienna flagship. Demel is also known for its long-running dispute with Hotel Sacher over the designation and preparation of Sachertorte. The conflict, which culminated in litigation during the 1950s and an out-of-court settlement in 1963, divided rights to the relevant naming and presentation conventions. Hotel Sacher obtained the right to use the phrase “The Original Sachertorte,” while Demel retained the right to sell a related cake decorated with a triangular seal identifying it as an Eduard-Sacher-Torte. The brand has operated beyond Vienna at various times. A temporary Salzburg location closed in 2012, and a small New York café at The Plaza hotel's retail complex had closed by 2010. Its Vienna site also includes a museum presenting artifacts connected with the history of the imperial chocolate-making and confectionery tradition. Demel's current positioning combines premium traditional pastry, historic authenticity, tourism, gift confectionery, and the experiential appeal of an established Viennese coffeehouse.
History
Demel's history begins in 1786, when Ludwig Dehne, a confectioner from Württemberg, established a pastry business on Michaelerplatz in Vienna. Dehne died in 1799, after which his widow maintained the shop for their minor son, August Dehne. In 1813 she purchased a building at Michaelerplatz 14, giving the family a more substantial base. August inherited the business in 1832 and developed it successfully. When his son chose an academic career rather than continuing the trade, the enterprise was sold in 1857 to Christoph Demel, a former journeyman of the shop. Christoph Demel's sons Joseph and Karl later assumed control, and in 1867 the business adopted the name Ch. Demel's Söhne. Demel's rise coincided with Vienna's position as the center of the Habsburg monarchy and with the growing prestige of the city's confectioners and coffeehouses. In 1874 Emperor Franz Joseph I appointed the business a purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court, granting it the specialized court title of K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker. This status linked Demel to the ceremonial and consumer culture of the imperial court. The demolition of Vienna's old Burgtheater on Michaelerplatz in 1888, together with the redesign of the surrounding area, prompted Demel to relocate to Kohlmarkt 14. The new location was close to the Hofburg and became the enduring home of the brand. Its Neo-Baroque interior, associated with the decorators Portois and Fix, reinforced the establishment's image of refined historic luxury. The shop's service conventions also became part of its identity. Waitresses in white aprons, called Demelinerinnen, traditionally addressed customers using formal third-person phrasing, a practice that was later celebrated in Viennese popular culture. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Demel served a socially prominent clientele that included Empress Elisabeth, Princess Pauline von Metternich, and actress Katharina Schratt. The business became more than a bakery: it was a setting in which court society, artists, tourists, and the urban elite encountered Viennese pastry and coffeehouse traditions. During the Anschluss and the Nazi period from 1938 to 1945, Nazi officials including Vienna Gauleiter Baldur von Schirach and his wife were also regular customers, reflecting the complex and sometimes uncomfortable history of established Viennese institutions. The Demel family remained associated with the company until 1972, when entrepreneur Udo Proksch purchased it. Proksch created Club 45 on the first floor, turning part of the property into a meeting place for Vienna's high society. His later arrest in 1989 over his involvement in the Lucona affair led to a change in ownership, with Raiffeisen Bank acquiring the business. In 2002, DO & CO, an international restaurant and catering company, took over Demel and became responsible for its contemporary operation. One of Demel's best-known historical episodes is the Sachertorte controversy. Eduard Sacher, son of the cake's inventor Franz Sacher, had refined the recipe while working at Demel. After the Hotel Sacher entered bankruptcy in 1934, Eduard Sacher's son worked at Demel and brought with him rights associated with an Eduard-Sacher-Torte. When the new operators of Hotel Sacher began promoting cakes under the designation “The Original Sacher Torte” in 1938, a dispute developed. Following wartime interruptions and the postwar occupation, Hotel Sacher sued Demel in 1954. The litigation addressed the name of the cake and detailed matters such as whether the cake should contain a middle layer of jam and whether butter or margarine should be used. Writer Friedrich Torberg, who had frequented both establishments, gave evidence concerning the historical preparation of the cake. In 1963, the parties settled outside court: Hotel Sacher secured the right to use “The Original Sachertorte,” while Demel was permitted to sell its version under the Eduard-Sacher-Torte designation and to use its characteristic triangular seal. Demel has periodically extended its presence beyond the Kohlmarkt flagship. A temporary Salzburg operation closed in 2012, while a small New York café at The Plaza hotel's retail collection had closed by 2010. The Vienna establishment remains the center of the brand and includes a museum with objects relating to imperial chocolate-making and confectionery. Under DO & CO ownership, Demel continues to combine a functioning premium pastry business with historic interiors, court heritage, traditional service, and the cultural appeal of Viennese coffeehouse life.
- 2012
Salzburg location closes
[1]Demel's temporary Salzburg location ceased operations.
- 2002
DO & CO takes over Demel
[1]DO & CO acquired the historic confectionery and coffeehouse business.
- 1989
Ownership changes after the Lucona affair
[1]Following Proksch's arrest in connection with the Lucona affair, Raiffeisen Bank became the owner.
- 1972
Udo Proksch acquires Demel
[1]The Demel family era ended when entrepreneur Udo Proksch purchased the business.
- 1963
Sachertorte dispute settled
[1]The parties reached an out-of-court settlement dividing naming and presentation rights.
- 1954
Hotel Sacher files suit
[1]After wartime and occupation-related interruptions, Hotel Sacher sued Demel over the Sachertorte name and related rights.
- 1938
Sachertorte naming dispute emerges
[1]A conflict began after Hotel Sacher's new owners marketed cakes using the “Original Sacher Torte” designation.
- 1888
Moves to Kohlmarkt
[1]Redevelopment around Michaelerplatz led Demel to move to its present Kohlmarkt location.
- 1874
Granted imperial court purveyor status
[1]Emperor Franz Joseph I granted Demel the status of K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker, or court confectioner.
- 1867
Name changes to Ch. Demel's Söhne
[1]Christoph Demel's sons Joseph and Karl took over and the business adopted the Ch. Demel's Söhne name.
Products and positioning
Premium traditional Viennese confectionery and coffeehouse hospitality with imperial court heritage.
Cake
Eduard-Sacher-Torte
Demel's historically associated version of Sachertorte, sold under the Eduard-Sacher-Torte designation following the 1963 settlement with Hotel Sacher. Its identity is tied to Eduard Sacher's connection with Demel and is traditionally distinguished by a triangular seal.
Patisserie
Cakes and tortes
Demel's cake and torte range represents the core of its Viennese confectionery offer. Products are associated with elaborate presentation, classic pastry techniques, and the premium experience of the historic Kohlmarkt coffeehouse.
Confectionery
Chocolates and pralines
The brand produces and sells chocolates, pralines, and other confectionery suitable for in-store consumption and premium gifting. These products extend Demel's identity beyond café service into packaged Viennese luxury confectionery.
Bakery and pastry
Viennese pastries
Traditional pastries and Viennoiserie form an important part of Demel's daily bakery offer. The range supports the brand's role as both a historic coffeehouse and a working pastry shop serving residents and visitors.
Beverages
Coffeehouse beverages
Coffee and related Viennese coffeehouse beverages are served alongside Demel's cakes and pastries. The beverage offer is part of the broader café experience rather than a standalone packaged beverage brand.
Controversies
1989
Ownership transition following the Lucona affair
Demel's owner Udo Proksch was arrested in connection with the Lucona affair. The subsequent ownership transition resulted in Raiffeisen Bank becoming the owner of the business. The affair concerned Proksch personally and affected Demel through its ownership, rather than being described as a product or operating scandal involving the confectionery.
Brand decisions
2002
Integration into DO & COM&ABackground
After periods under Udo Proksch and Raiffeisen Bank, Demel required a new long-term operating owner.
Action taken
DO & CO took over the Demel business.
Aftermath
Demel continued as a historic Viennese confectionery and coffeehouse brand within an international restaurant and catering group.
1963
Settlement of the Sachertorte rights disputeOtherBackground
Hotel Sacher and Demel had litigated over the “Original Sacher Torte” designation, recipe characteristics, and related commercial rights.
Action taken
The parties settled outside court. Hotel Sacher received rights to the phrase “The Original Sachertorte,” while Demel retained the Eduard-Sacher-Torte designation and triangular seal.
Aftermath
Both establishments continued selling their own versions under differentiated names and presentation conventions.
1888
Relocation from Michaelerplatz to KohlmarktStrategyBackground
The demolition of the old Burgtheater and redevelopment of Michaelerplatz changed the physical setting of the original shop.
Action taken
Demel moved around the corner to Kohlmarkt 14, the location that remains its historic flagship.
Aftermath
The Kohlmarkt premises became the enduring center of the brand and strengthened its association with the Hofburg and Vienna's historic core.
Sources2 sources
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