How EFSI benefits SMEs in Europe - Komerční banka case study: Vivobar (Czech Republic), Food store

The inspiration for creating organic protein bars came to life when three food-lovers attended one raw food fair. One night they put their heads together and Vivo Food was born.

Vivo Food creates food bars that promote a healthy lifestyle and include raw materials that are processed gently to retain all their nutritional benefits. After creating the first bar, the company and its customers acquired a taste for it and it was not long before a variety of food bars were added to the collection. Today, Vivo Food has seven different flavours of its food bar that can be found in drug stores and supermarkets all over the Czech Republic. In the future, three new flavours will come in addition to this extensive assortment.

Vivo Food benefited from an EU-guaranteed loan provided through Komerční banka, one of the major bank in the Czech Republic, and backed by EIF under the Investment Plan for Europe. The Investment Plan for Europe aims to generate new investments by facilitating access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The company does not only support human health but also cares for the environment by wrapping their bars in recyclable paper. To encourage people to think consciously about the environment, customers can send 36 undamaged packaging to Vivo Food’s office and they will receive a Vivo Food bag made out of that packaging.

Company: Vivobar (Czech Republic)

Type of business: Food store distributing raw energy and protein bars

EIF financing: COSME LGF,  EFSI

For further information abiout EIF intermediaries in the Czech Republic, please refer to: http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/where/cz