UBC July 2026 - Coke, Pepsi and Kofula

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It may just have been a coincidence, but during our stay in Prague, every single time I ordered a Coke Zero in a sit-down restaurant, the answer was the same:

“Sorry, we only have Pepsi.”

As a consequence, I ordered sparkling water because I’m strict that way. I mean, pick a side. You’re either part of the A-Team or… not. At least that’s how I feel about beverages.

Hubby and son found this endlessly amusing and insisted I probably wouldn’t even pass a blind tasting. That remains to be seen.

Still, it sent me down an unexpected rabbit hole.

Because in Switzerland, Coke absolutely feels like the default setting of civilization. If you order a Cola in a restaurant, chances are very high you’ll get Coca-Cola unless specified otherwise. Pepsi exists, obviously, but it feels more like a guest appearance than the main act.

Prague, however, had other ideas.

It turns out Coca-Cola still dominates Europe overall, including Switzerland. But the Czech Republic has a much more interesting Cola landscape than I realized. Pepsi has historically had a stronger presence there than in many Western European countries, especially in restaurants thanks to distributor agreements and exclusive supply contracts. Once a restaurant signs with Pepsi, that’s usually it. No Coke on the menu.

But even more fascinating is the fact that in Czechia, the real rival to Coke isn’t necessarily Pepsi.

It’s Kofola.

And if you’re currently going:

“Wait… what on earth is Kofola?”

you’re not alone.

Kofola was developed in communist-era Czechoslovakia in the early 1960s by a pharmaceutical company looking for a use for excess caffeine left over from coffee roasting. The result was a dark herbal cola syrup called Kofo, which became the basis for a new soft drink: Kofola.

During the Cold War years, it became wildly popular because Western drinks like Coca-Cola were expensive, hard to get, or simply unavailable. While Coke became a symbol of the West, Kofola became something uniquely local and familiar.

And unlike many nostalgic communist-era products, it actually survived.

After 1989, when Western brands flooded into the newly opened market, Kofola could easily have disappeared into history. Instead, it somehow held its ground. Today, estimates suggest the Czech cola market is still surprisingly balanced:

• Coca-Cola roughly 35%
• Kofola roughly 30%
• Pepsi somewhere around 15–20%
• Plus a meaningful “discount label” / other Cola products ecosystem ~15–20%

Which honestly explains a lot about my Prague Pepsi experience.

Because Czech cola culture isn’t simply Coke vs Pepsi the way it often feels elsewhere. Kofola takes up a huge piece of the pie, especially in traditional restaurants and pubs, where you’ll often even find it on tap like beer.

Also, and this part fascinated me, Kofola markets seasonal flavors the way Starbucks launches seaisonal drinks.

If you’re familiar with Cherry Coke or Vanilla Coke, brace yourself.

Kofola has released limited editions including blackcurrant, raspberry, pineapple, mint, grapefruit, cinnamon, gingerbread, caramel, honey… and even flavors inspired by Christmas cookies.

Including Vanillekipferl and Linzertorte.

Photo Credit: Monstera Production on Pexels

Now. Linzertorte is just as little a Christmas cookie as it is a Czech specialty.  It’s more of an all-year-round Austrian almond-spiced pastry filled with raspberry jam and topped with lattice crust. Which naturally raises the important journalistic question:

What exactly does a Linzertorte-flavored soda taste like?

Prague gave me many memorable experiences. Gothic towers. Beautiful old trams. Astronomical clocks. Stunning architecture.

But in hindsight, I feel like I missed out on something cool.

I never tasted a Kofola.

Is that a good enough reason to go back to Prague one of these days?

And would you be up for Linzertorte Kofola?