Latest news with #Kofola
Winnipeg Free Press
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Eat & drink your way through Prague
True to his word, Zach drags us through the city and feeds us. You see, it's a full-circle experience with Zach McMahon, our guide for Eating Europe's Prague Food & Beer Tour. At the start of the afternoon, as we quaff light beer paired with marinated hermelin cheese at a floating brewery called Lod Pivovar, Zach boldly declared: 'I'm going to drag you through Prague and introduce you to Czech cuisine.' STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Lod Pivovar, a floating brewery and pub, is tethered on the right bank of the Vltava River. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Lod Pivovar, a floating brewery and pub, is tethered on the right bank of the Vltava River. Sated and satisfied at our final stop — No. 5, at Café Louvre — Zach again piped up and smugly concluded: 'See, I told you so.' Not that there was a lot of dragging involved. Our group of 12 tourists were willing participants, led from stop to stop in Old Town and New Town alike, eating and drinking whatever was put in front of us as Zach kept up a running commentary. Now, let's fill in the blanks between the floating brewery and the elegant Café Louvre. The meeting point on the Vltava River was inspired — a novel way to launch our foodie frenzy. Lod Pivovar translated from Czech is literally 'boat brewery,' describing exactly what this beermaker-pub-restaurant-patio-events venue serves up while tethered to the right bank of the river. It's also where Zach told us 'cheers' in Czech is 'na zdravi,' which sounds like 'nice driveway' if you say it quickly with conviction and a slight mumble. A short walk took us to Pernickuv Sen, a gingerbread bakery decorated exactly how you'd imagine an Old World gingerbread house to be. The Czechs love gingerbread year-round, not just the frosting-coated man associated with Christmas, but other cookies, squares, treats and candy. Zach told us there's no actual ginger in gingerbread, but a proprietary blend of other spices. The revelation doesn't shock us. We devour our treats and move on. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Pernickuv Sen is a charming bakery that makes traditional gingerbread in Prague. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Pernickuv Sen is a charming bakery that makes traditional gingerbread in Prague. Stop No. 3 is modern quick-service eatery, Tauris in New Town, where some of us ordered Pilsner Urquell (Czechia's best selling beer and top export) and others tried the Kofola. Kofola was communist Czechoslovakia's answer to free-market Coca-Cola — a strange replica that tastes like medicinal Dr. Pepper-meets-anise. It's still wildly popular in Czechia and is on tap in most bars and restaurants — usually side-by-side with Pilsner Urquell. Both drinks pair nicely with the 'chlebicek' — open-faced sandwiches — we are served. Culinary tip: Chlebicek forgoes butter and tasks potato salad with the job of sandwich spread. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Delectable open-faced sandwiches — chlebicek — at Tauris bistro. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Delectable open-faced sandwiches — chlebicek — at Tauris bistro. It's Kolacherie back in Old Town, specializing in 'kolace' — the traditional, round Czech pastry generally full of poppy seeds. However, we get a contemporary version with strawberry and rhubarb, scarfing them down as we stand on the busy sidewalk, crumbles tumbling down our chins. Before we officially arrive at the fifth and final stop, Zach runs us into the square in front of the Quadrio shopping centre to be awed by the 30-ton head of Czech writer and hero Franz Kafka. It's massive, and the layered metal components of the sculpture by David Cerny spin in a play of movement and light. We thought Zack took us there simply for visual delight, but alas, there's a tie-in to Café Louvre just around the corner. As we tuck into 'svickova' — bacon fat-injected beef tenderloin in a cream sauce — paired with Czech Merlot, Zach explains Kafka was a regular at Café Louvre in the early 1900s, the height of café society. Albert Einstein also frequented Café Louvre. Maybe they also ordered the apple strudel we had for dessert. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Waiter Jan Pacak brings serves svickova and Czech merlot at Café Louvre in Prague. STEVE MACNAULL / FREE PRESS Waiter Jan Pacak brings serves svickova and Czech merlot at Café Louvre in Prague. smacnaull@
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Bradford shopkeeper fined for selling out-of-date food
A shopkeeper has been fined £11,713 after selling food that was up to 38 days past its use by Omid, 39, of Berkshire Court, Bury, who was director of the now-closed Kofola shop in Great Horton Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to 19 food hygiene offences when he appeared before Bradford and Keighley of the 120 out-of-date food items found by safety inspectors included cottage cheese, buttermilk, black pudding and various meats. There was also a lack of hot water and soap in the only hand basin in the told Mr Omid he had shown "a clear disregard for the importance of food safety". Moving to Belgium Imran Hussain, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, said inspectors initially visited the shop on 8 December 2022 after they received complaints that Kofola was selling out-of-date said the inspectors "removed a large number of items" that were, in total, 2,626 days [seven years and two months] past their use by said: "120 food items were exposed for sale that were past their use by date."There were dairy products including natural butter milk that was 38 days past its use by date and cottage cheese 35 days past its use by date, vacuum packed meats and chicken. "In total the items were 2,626 days past their use by date."He went on to say that Mr Omid was given a hygiene improvement notice but, when inspectors returned in late January, there was "evidence the notice hadn't been complied with".They discovered more food that was past its sell by date bringing the total amount of time to 3,186 days [eight years and eight months].Mr Hussain said: "It was clear Omid had shown a clear disregard for the importance of food safety."The shop has since closed and the court heard that Mr Omid has been considering moving to Belgium to make a new life for himself, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 'Wilful blindness' The court heard that as well as selling out-of-date food there was no "designated hand washbasin in the area where raw and ready-to-eat foods are handled".Inspectors also found "the basement food store was damp and in a poor condition and could not be adequately cleaned with numerous cigarette butts on the floor".Mr Khan, defending Mr Omid, said: "This was a case where an individual was trying to run a business without doing his research."Mr Walker, chair of the bench, told him that he had "shown a wilful blindness with regards to food hygiene and safety requirements".He was fined £5,000, ordered to pay £4,713 costs to Bradford Council and a £2,000 was also told he would have to pay the fine at a rate of £250 a month and failure to pay could result in him being sent to prison. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kofola ČeskoSlovensko to acquire vending machine business
Czech drinks group Kofola ČeskoSlovensko is to purchase a 100% stake in Vending S.R.O., which manages ASO Vending, a Slovakian food and drink vending machines supplier. The deal, inked on Tuesday (18 March), is subject to approval from Slovak competition authorities, the group said in a statement. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close by the second quarter of 2025. Based in Banská Bystrica, central Slovakia, Vending S.R.O. is a family-owned business, and "a leader" in the local vending market according to Kofola. ASO Vending, which has been in operation since 1992, produces vending machines for food, coffee and other drinks, as well as "a full range of additional and personalised tailor-made solutions". Kofola said the transaction would result in "logical synergies, not only in the soft drinks market". In a statement, Daniel Buryš, CEO of Kofola ČeskoSlovensko, said the company was "still looking for ways to effectively strengthen our business and create conditions for the best possible availability of our products", and that it believed "vending to be a very promising sales channel". He added: "We believe that thanks to Kofola's entry into the company, we will be able to find mutual synergies that will contribute to the further expansion of both companies. With the family business of the Korčeks, we share not only a philosophy, a sustainable approach to business, but also a focus on the coffee segment." In 2024, ASO Vending achieved €18m ($19.5m) in turnover and EBITDA of more than €2m. The business runs more than 8,000 vending machines in Slovakia. More than half of these sell coffee. Commenting on the latest transaction, Miroslav Korček, founder and owner of ASO Vending said the move was "the next natural step in our operations", which would also allow it "to use a number of mutual synergies and bring opportunities for further growth". "We are pleased to be joining a partner with the same family background, with a sympathetic the direction and tradition that the Kofola brand represents," he added. This isn't Kofola's first purchase of a vending machine supplier. In January last year the group bought a 49% stake in Mixa Vending, which operates in Czechia and Slovakia. The Ostrava-headquartered business has also recently branched into new drinks segments. Late last year, the Jupi syrups producer announced plans to expand its range of soft drinks to include fruit juices and iced teas. In 2023, the company entered beer with the acquisition of local brewer Pivovary CZ Group for an undisclosed sum. Kofola described the beer market at the time as a 'stable segment' with room for growth in export markets. "Kofola ČeskoSlovensko to acquire vending machine business" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
