Company
After the fall of the communist regime in 1989, Kofola had to compete with many foreign brands that entered the new open market. After a period of decline and trademark lawsuits (many companies produced their own similar-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 the Czech Republic and Slovakia.[6] Other producers of similar drinks had to rename their products (most notable Slovakian Hejkola and Šofocola. Šofocola was rebranded as Lokálka, but it's the same drink).
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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10]
In 2018, the company took a 100% stake in Czech tea producer Leros.[11]
At the end of 2018, the Kofola Group operated in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Russia, Austria and Hungary.[12]
At the end of November 2023, the company announced that it's acquiring the majority stake in Pivovary CZ Group. Buying this group of breweries producing beers under the brands Holba, Zubr and Litovel, the company entered the beer market of Czech Republic.[13]
