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If I had to tell a drink that I associate with the Czech Republic, I would have a dilemma whether it would be beer or Kofola. Maybe it’s the fact that I made my first visits to the Czech Republic when I didn’t admire the golden drink yet, or maybe I just love the first one.
Kofola brand history
Kofola has its origins in post-war times. In 1948 that the company Galena Opava was founded and start the production of medicines and tinctures. Working on caffeine-containing KOFO syrup lasted two years! They were led by Mr Zdeněk Blažek. He collected 14 natural ingredients (herbal and fruit, including cherry, apple, raspberry and black currant syrups) to get the flavour that is known to this day. A year after this discovery (in 1960), Kofola was introduced to market and constantly gained new fans. Apparently, in the 1960s, was consumed so much that Czechoslovakia lacked some herbs for its production and had to import them from abroad. In the seventies, the annual production of Kofola reached 180 million litres. The Velvet Revolution in 1989 did not spare Kofola. Czechs and Slovaks. Since then, the company has changed owners several times and was getting ready for a great comeback.
In 1998, Kofola revived. At first a new packaging started to appear, and later new flavours. Various Kofola commercials started to appear, many of which were recognizable in Czech culture. Before reaching fifty years, Kofola surpassed its record sales in the seventies.
Flavours
The most common flavor version of Kofola is the original one. And I usually choose it. However, new flavors are regularly introduced to the market, with greater or lesser success. The new flavors in the bottles have different labels and the color of the cap. Among the many flavor variants, we can distinguish the relatively constant, new and typically seasonal flavors.
Let me start with the second group, because the most famous is, of course, Kofola Christmas with cinnamon and cloves (in my opinion, a very successful combination!).
Different flavor combinations are available in different bottles (e.g. the sugar-free version is available in a 2-liter bottle, but not in the smaller one). As for the flavors available for sale, they are:
- Original
- No sugar
- Cherry
- Citrus
- Peach
- Guarana
- Melon
- Raspberry
- Blackberry
- Gooseberry
- Black Currant
- Pineapple
- Grejpfruit
From a bottle or a can?
If you try Kofola poured in the bar once, you will know what I’m talking about! This is the best version of this drink. Perfectly carbonated and delicious. I do not despise others, but (which is also confirmed by the Czechs) the poured version is the best!
Marketing
Kofola, apart from being a cult brand, also conducts very interesting marketing activities. She has her own style that makes her recognizable.
A simple logo makes it very deeply rooted in the minds of Czechs and Slovaks, and as I mentioned, TV commercials have become iconic over time!
More photos! :)
