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Czech non-alcoholic drinks producer Kofola had Kc4.553 billion sales in Central Europe last year, up 15.3% from 2006, and its sales in the Czech Republic jumped by 32.2% to Kc3.035 billion, the company told CTK.

"We raised sales in all categories of products. The growth came mainly thanks to the product portfolio's expansion and innovation. Among strategic steps, start of a merger with Polish drinks company Hoop was very important for us. The merger continues as planned and will be completed at the turn of April and May," the group's CFO Simona Novakova said.

The group invested over Kc670m last year, compared with Kc300 million a year earlier. Kofola had 1,370 employees in the year, 10% more than in 2006.

Kofola, the flagship of the group with the same name, is second on the Czech cola drinks market. Its market share reached 25% last year, according to a poll of the AC Nielsen agency.

In terms of sales, Kofola is number three on the Czech market, behind Coca-Cola and Karlovarske mineralni vody, and ranks among the most important non-alcoholic drinks in Central Europe.

Kofola emerged through privatisation of Nealko Olomouc in 1993. It's operating in the markets in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, and is also exporting products to other countries.