Kofola

Kofola () is a carbonated soft drink produced by Czechoslovakian company Kofola, headquartered in Ostrava, Czech Republic. It is the principal rival of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The company is one of the leading soft drinks producers and distributors in Central and Eastern Europe.
History.
Kofola originated in the Czechoslovak Research Institute of Medicinal Plants in Prague in 1959, during research targeted at finding a possible use for surplus caffeine produced in the process of coffee roasting. The resulting dark-coloured, sweet-and-sour syrup "Kofo" became the main ingredient of a new soft drink named "Kofola" introduced in 1960. During the 1960s and 1970s Kofola became exceedingly popular in communist Czechoslovakia because it substituted for Western cola drinks like Coca-Cola or Pepsi, which were generally available since 1968 (Pepsi in 1974), but were expensive and considered as for high society. Even today, Kofola is a popular option in restaurants as it can be draught from kegs right into a glass.
Since 1998 Kofola has been bottled (in addition to classical 0.33-litre glass bottles) in 0.5-litre and 2-litre plastic bottles. 0.25-litre cans were introduced in 2003, 1-litre plastic-bottles in December 2004. Kofola draught from 50-litre kegs, traditionally sold in many bars and restaurants across the two countries, is very popular as well.
Since 2002 the producer has launched a successful media campaign aimed at a young and hip audience based on the slogan "Když ji miluješ, není co řešit / Keď ju miluješ, nie je čo riešiť" ("If you love it, there is nothing to question"). Until 2000, the Kofola logo featured a coffee bean. It now resembles a coffee flower.
Company.
After the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, Kofola had to compete with many foreign brands that entered the attractive newly opened market. After a period of decline and trademark lawsuits (many companies produced their own similarly tasting "kofola" because the term became a genericized trademark), in 2000 the "Santa nápoje" company, owned by the Greek-immigrant Samaras family, became the only producer and distributor of Kofola in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Other producers of similar drinks had to rename their products (most notable Slovakian Hejkola and Šofocola).
The company "Santa nápoje" originally produced Kofola drink only in the parent factory in Krnov. In 2002, the company built a new factory in Rajecká Lesná, Slovakia, to satisfy the demand of the Slovak market. In 2003, "Santa nápoje" changed its name to "Kofola, a.s." and later to "Kofola ČeskoSlovensko a.s". Apart from Kofola it also produces other soft drinks, the spring water Rajec, the fresh fruit juices UGO, the syrups Jupí and children's drink Jupík, RC Cola under license and from 2008 the grape drink Vinea, that are exported to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia.
In 2008 Kofola announced a merger with the Polish lemonade producer Hoop. In autumn 2008, the Polish Private Equity fund Enterprise Investors acquired in a Public Tender Offer 42.46% of Kofola-Hoop for approximately €140 million. In 2009, the Polish company Kofola-Hoop S.A. was renamed into Kofola S.A.
In April 2009, Kofola acquired Pinelli and since then has produced the energy drink Semtex. In 2010, Kofola opened a new factory in Mnichovo Hradiště. In December 2014, Kofola bought Slovenian factory for mineral water Radenska.
Ingredients.
Kofo syrup, the main ingredient of Kofola, consists of 14 herbal and fruit ingredients (such as extracts from apple, cherry, currant, or herbal aroma), sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup (2014), and caramel. In comparison with Pepsi or Coca-Cola it contains 30% less sugar, ~56% more caffeine (15 mg/100ml, Coca-Cola 9.6 mg/100ml) and it does not contain phosphoric acid.
Products.
A Christmas limited edition with a hint of cinnamon was introduced at the end of 2007, and was only available around the Christmas period. In 2011-2016 was sold another variant of the drink called "Kofola Extra Herbal", it was extended with dandelion, gentian and peppermint. Other flavours introduced in limited editions include: cherry, pomegranate, almond, gingerbread, chocolate, coconut, walnut, plum, pear and mandarin. A 2019 Christmas edition is with a hint of apple and a bit of cinnamon.
Cocktails.
The most popular cocktail with kofola is a highball made of kofola, Czech Tuzemák (domestic rum) and lemon juice called "Kofrum", "Handlová Libre", "Student lemonade", "Rebel" or "Chequia Libre". Kofola with pilsner lager beer is called "Kofola 'n' Beer" or "Diesel".