Café de Vili’s goes into liquidation

A much-loved cafe is the latest hospitality operator forced into liquidation as the cost of living crisis rages on.

Café de Vili’s at Elizabeth in Adelaide’ north announced its sudden closure with a handwritten note taped to its window on Thursday.

‘Company in liquidation + ceased trading,’ it read.

Café de Vili’s became a household name in South Australia thanks to its parent company Villi’s Family Bakery, which distributes pastries across the country.

Villi’s Family Bakery still has three cafes in operation and issued a statement clarifying that the Elizabeth location was only a franchisee. 

‘Café De Vili’s (franchisor) and Vilis Family Bakery are aware that the company that independently owns and operates Café De Vili’s Elizabeth franchise is in liquidation and has ceased trading,’ the statement read.

‘The Company, Café 24/7 Pty Ltd trading as Café De Vili’s Elizabeth, was a licensed franchisee of Café De Vili’s. An entity unrelated to the ownership and operation of Vili’s Family Bakery.’

Café De Vili’s still has three locations in Mile End, Hillcrest and Blair Athol.

Parent company Villi’s Family Bakery issued a statement acknowledging the closure of one of its franchisees 

News of the Elizabeth café closure sent shockwaves through the community.  

‘There goes the last of the pie floater outlets. Old Villi would be turning in his grave,’ one disappointed customer wrote. 

Another added: ‘Nooo they have the best bacon and egg toasties. I feel so sorry for all the lovely workers there.’

A third wrote: ‘Unfortunately it’s a sign of the times, Vili’s are lucky they have their main outlet which is always busy and their network of retail partners is quite strong so they will survive.’

This is the second time in a month Café de Vili’s faced disaster after its Blair Athol location stapled a similar closure sign to its door in early October. 

Management from Villi’s Family Bakery then swooped in to take control to avoid the café going into administration. 

‘A franchisee of Café De Vili’s, Galaxy Blue Pty Ltd, has ceased operating the Café De Vili’s business at Blair Athol and Vili’s management will now operate this business moving forward,’ a spokesman told the Advertiser at the time.

‘The operations of the other Café de Vili’s businesses are not affected by this change.’

Café De Vili’s still has three locations still operating in Mile End, Hillcrest and Blair Athol

Vince Fazzalari was the co-owner of the Elizabeth and Blair Athol cafés, both of which would have closed in October if the parent company had not saved its Blair Athol location

Vince Fazzalari, former co-owner of the Elizabeth and Blair Athol cafés and a long-time Vili’s employee, previously told Glam Adelaide the Elizabeth store was ‘perfect’.

‘We’re privileged and honoured to give back to the South Australian community with the iconic SA brand,’ he said.

‘We chose the Elizabeth location because of its the perfect location to further serve the community.’

The Elizabeth café opened in 2021, six years after Café De Vili’s first expansion in Blair Athol.

Since then a third franchise opened in Hillcrest promising to be the company’s ‘biggest yet’ in 2023. 

Café De Vili’s in Miles End is located nearby the family’s original bakery and was originally opened more than three decades ago to exclusively feed factory workers. 

Founder Vilmos Milisits launched the company in 1968- 12 years after his family fled the Hungarian revolution and emigrated to Adelaide. 

 Vili’s has gone on to become a nationally recognised brand and its pastries are found in Woolworths, Coles and IGA’s across the country.

Mr Milisits died in 2021 aged 72.