About us

First Pallet

The first imported pallet from Italy contained blends for thickening chocolate and Costarica Café coffee. The products were primarily targeted at larger ski resorts and wholesalers. Around that time, one customer showed great interest in the liqueur Bombardino, which Czechs knew mainly from skiing in the Italian Alps.

Bombardino Distilleria Bertagnolli

In 2008, Bevande registered for excise tax due to the expansion of its product range to include Bombardino from Distilleria Bertagnolli.

First Orders

First orders of Bombardino, Limoncello and Grappino from the traditional Bertagnolli distillery in Trentino.

Bevande s.r.o. Founded

Jan and Michaela Kaška founded the company Bevande s.r.o. The word "bevande" means beverages in Italian, hence the name for their new company. Cooperation with new suppliers expanded and the online store bevande.cz was launched.

Methanol Crisis

Prohibition was declared in the Czech Republic due to the methanol crisis. The sale of spirits above 15% was banned. In October, new legislation on spirits was signed, and the entire system concerning alcohol changed. It was a very complicated time for importing and selling spirits.

Business Trips to Italy

Michaela and Jan made many business trips to Italy to discover interesting and suitable products for the Czech market. They focused more on wines, balsamic vinegars, and food products. During the same period, they began hosting their first tastings in Prague, both guided and informal, for an ever-growing clientele. The Masaryk Lounge at the train station became the setting for unique social events, even with well-known personalities.

Opening of the First La Grapperia

The first La Grapperia was opened in the Czech Republic. Bevande expanded to its first physical store on Táborská Street in Prague 4 – a cozy space with Italian atmosphere and music. It became a venue for tastings, samplings, private celebrations, and events. La Grapperia specializes in Italian products that Bevande imports directly from Italian producers. In December 2016, Bevande adopted the EET system to comply with retail legislation.

Warehouse Fire

St. Nicholas Day 2017 was marked by tragedy – a large fire broke out in the Ronex area in Prague 9 where Bevande’s warehouse was located. A special state of emergency was declared, and 32 professional units fought the blaze near a gas station.

Barlife Magazine wrote about us, we expanded our cooperation with the bartending association, and participated in wine-themed trade fairs.

Expanding the Product Range

Strengthening relationships with suppliers, increased participation in international missions focused on new wine appellations, expanding the product range, and further developing the La Grapperia physical store.

COVID-19

COVID quickly hit the entire world. The gastronomy sector suffered heavily. Even during this difficult time, Bevande worked hard. With a well-functioning e-shop, it was able to compensate for the loss of sales in the gastronomy sector and La Grapperia with an increase in online orders.

Opening of La Grapperia Dejvice

La Grapperia expanded to the other side of the Vltava River. Michaela and Jan discovered a beautiful space in the square of Dejvice. The entire space needed to be renovated to house a larger La Grapperia. The front room became a bar with a charming sofa – a lucky talisman of both stores. Natural wood, coziness, and a family feel were emphasized. The back room was also designed for seating, with a “just like home” feel: teak wood benches, plenty of paintings and photos from producers. A striking feature was a painting of La Cucina Italiana and a large wooden wine fridge full of Italian wines.

After nearly nine months of renovation, La Grapperia Dejvice opened its doors to the first customers. It was a beautiful, yet difficult time, as COVID rules were constantly changing – whether guests could drink seated without a mask or only standing. It was a chaotic time for all restaurant operators.

PIANO Tastings

2022 marked the launch of PIANO tastings at La Grapperia. Music and wine have always been linked – so themed evenings with fine grappa, wine, and food began. Since Bevande is a family business, it always aims to bring friendliness, hospitality, and generosity into the La Grapperia experience.

E-shop Modernization

Launch of Bevande’s modernization and automation project, co-financed by the European Union. The goal is to create a modern e-shop by integrating systems and automating processes.

New E-shop

The bevande.cz e-shop gets a new face. A fresh design will give customers easier navigation, a clearer overview of stock, better product photos, and lots of inspiring travel stories from Jan and Michaela.