Kofola ČeskoSlovensko to acquire vending machine business

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 the sympathetic 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.