Kofola takes 52% of coffee chain Cøkafe to complete its 'seed to cup' play
What's the deal? Czech drinks maker Kofola has acquired a 52% stake in CøkafeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an Ostrava-based specialty coffee chain. Founder Richard Mauler stays on as co-owner. The companies did not disclose the price.
What does Cøkafe do? Founded in Ostrava in 2015, it runs eight cafés, mostly in the Moravian-Silesian region. It focuses on specialty coffee, an in-house bakery and confectionery, and distinctive store design.
What's the endgame? The deal completes a supply chain Kofola has been assembling since 2019. It first tried growing coffee in Colombia, last year bought a family farm in Boquete, Panama, beneath the Barú volcano, and built its own roastery in Strážnice, southern Moravia. Cøkafe adds the final piece: a place to serve the coffee.
Why now? "We can only guarantee long-term value and quality when we know the origin of the raw material and understand the whole process," said Kofola owner and chief executive officer Jannis Samaras (translated from Czech).
The acquisition slots into the group's gastro arm, which also includes the UGO FreshbarDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and SalaterieDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → chains. The companies plan to expand Cøkafe into more cities.
Kofola, based in Ostrava, is one of central Europe's largest non-alcoholic drinks makers, with 14 production plants across five European markets. Alongside its flagship cola, it owns brands including Vinea, Rajec, Korunní, Ondrášovka, and Leros, plus three coffee brands — Café Reserva, Trepallini, and Tucancitos Cafeteros — and the beers Zubr, Holba, and Litovel.
The signal: The move shows a beverage maker chasing vertical integration, owning coffee from farm to café to control quality and margins in a growing specialty segment.
Read more: forbes.cz
Image credit: HALDANE MARTIN
