The Kofola Group enters the coffee business by buying Espresso, a well-established Czech company with a turnover of CZK 93 million
The Espresso Company has been providing not only the high-grade coffee Café Reserva but also premium Dilmah teas together, with appropriate service and related culture, to the Czech market for more than two decades. The founders of the company, Mr and Mrs Moravec, signed a contract with Kofola to sell 100% of its shares, which is why Espresso has been fully taken under the wings of the Kofola Group. This transaction gives Espresso an owner strong in marketing and distribution, with a sensitive approach towards brands. With this acquisition, the Kofola Group is expanding its offer for gastro customers in other significant categories.The two parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction price.
The Espresso Company offers Café Reserva, high-grade coffee blends certified by the Rainforest Alliance. Espresso also distributes premium Dilmah teas famous for growing, harvesting, processing and packaging their teas with an emphasis on quality and fair trade. Apart from these two key brands, Espresso also offers 1883 Maison Routin syrups for bartenders, premium Italian coffee machines "Faema" and first class customer service. The company now employs 32 people and recorded sales of CZK 93 million last year.
“We have built a healthy firm with established brands,” says Eva Moravcová, one of the Espresso founders, and Ivo Moravec, her husband and co-founder, explains why the selection ended with Kofola: “Café Reserva and Dilmah are capable of further significant growth only with a partner who has a strong marketing and distribution background. Another benefit of choosing for Kofola was that they treat brands and customers with respect and can cooperate with them sensitively."
The current transaction is a a confirmation of the Kofola Group's long-term strategy of expanding its offer and continually improving HoReCa customer service to make it easier for them to do business in this challenging field. By signing the contract, the Kofola Group takes over the entire company with above-mentioned brands, distribution network and employees.
Jannis Samaras, Kofola Group´s general director and co-owner, commented on the latest acquisition: „Espresso is an amazing move into the coffee market for us. I am happy that the company meets all important criteria for being further developed. Espresso is a local, traditional, very well-established company which understands their business extremely well and which has received great care from their owners and employees over those twenty years.” To the incorporation of this acquisition into the Kofola's existing portfolio he adds: “We see great synergies with our existing gastro portfolio and significant expansion of our current soft drinks and herbal teas. Our ultimate goal is to develop the coffee culture and provide great service to our customers. ”