Our history

Fruko-Schulz company was founded in 1898 in the picturesque town of Jindřichův Hradeс in southern Bohemia. Today it is one of the largest producers of alcoholic beverages in the Czech Republic. The history of the company spans over 100 years, and it began with…

The founder of the company, Moritz Schulz, became famous as the first producer of fruit and sweet wines on the territory of Austria-Hungary. The factory, which was focused exclusively on the production of sweet wines and liqueurs, slowly but surely expanded. During the next fifty years, Fruko-Schulz increased the production and quality of its products.

Moritz Schulz managed to build a whole production cycle of fruit wines within his company. The factory was equipped with large-scale fruit warehouses, presses, storage and fermentation tanks. Also, it had equipment for bottling and capping bottles. Thanks to its production cycle, Moritz Schulz became almost an independent manufacturer and could afford to experiment and create products of an unprecedented taste.

Innovative technical capabilities allowed Moritz Schulz to ferment a variety of fruit wines. Besides traditional apple and pear wines, thanks to Moritz Schulz, blackcurrant and blueberry wines became available, as well as a wide selection of non-alcoholic fruit syrups.

The financial success of the company allowed Schulz to expand his scope of activity and get his own brewery in the town of Kardašova řečice, located near Jindřichův Hradec.

The events of the Second World War, which changed the fate of millions of people, also had a great impact on the fate of the Moritz Schulz family. His sons, who were his devoted assistants, were forced to emigrate to England. The head of the family together with his wife, daughter and granddaughter, remained on the territory of the Czech Republic.

In 1948, Schulz's company was nationalized and for the next 40 years was part of the Jihočeská Fruta concern. Its production included canned fruits and vegetables, baby food, jams and soft drinks. The brewery in the center of Jindřichův Hradec, which had been owned by the Schulz family since 1922, did not avoid nationalization either. It was one of the oldest breweries in the region and had been built in the 14th century. The brewery was rebuilt, expanded and improved over the years by the hands of its owners, one of whom was the father of renowned Czech composer Bedřich Smetana.

One of the key products of the enterprise, which started being produced in the 80’s, became traditional Jindrichohradecky "Rum with a sailboat". Thanks to its unique taste and exceptional quality, Jindrichohradecky "rum" took a worthy place among the favorite drinks of Czech consumers.

Although the Czech Republic accepted the EU regulation in 2003 prohibiting drinks that are not made from cane from being called Rum, consumers still affectionately refer to the drink as domestic "rum". The story of this distinctive drink is written to this day. Fruko-Schulz produces over 4 million bottles of domestic Jindřichohradecký Tuzemák per year, and Premium Tuzemák is produced for more demanding consumers.

Since 1993, the company has been called Fruko-Schulz s. r. o. and it has returned to the hands of the founder's family - Robert Schulz. After the resumption of production, the company's management decided to take a strategic step - to leave the old premises in the city center and establish a new, modernized plant in the suburb of Jiraskovo. The famous history of the company in the center of Jindrichuv Hradec is now commemorated by the Fruko-Schulz store, which is located on Komenského street with descriptive number 1.

The start of Fruko-Schulz production in the suburb of Jiraskovo was preceded by a complete modernization of the technical production base, including the installation of a modern filling line, the purchase of containers and equipment for the production of apple cider vinegar and fruit syrups. Large investments were made in the restructuring of the enterprise, the purchase of vats for the production of liqueurs, the organization of a warehouse space for storing raw materials and the installation of containers intended for extracts from herbal tinctures. The company took pride in the production of a range of popular beverages, which included traditional Czech liqueurs, fruit syrups, absinths, vodkas and traditional domesticated drinks.

In 2000, the portfolio of Fruko-Schulz significantly expanded, thanks to the production of a new exclusive drink – Russian vodka Alexander Pushkin. Special equipment was acquired to produce the drink, which ensured high quality of the wheat vodka. A team of Czech and Russian lab technicians worked closely together on creating the perfect recipe.

The descendant of Alexander Pushkin - Pavel Pushkin, who resided in the Czech Republic, became an ideological inspiration and active distributor of this vodka. vodka Alexander Pushkin Black is especially. It is a type of vodka made with the addition of humic acids obtained from peat bogs of the Třeboň recreation area, which has a unique taste and aroma. Fruko-Schulz holds the world patent for the production of vodka with humic acids.

2007 marked the beginning of a new era for Fruko-Schulz. The enterprise became part of the LADOGA group of companies together with the French Cognac house Roullet (cognac), the Spanish winery Camino Real (Navarra) and the Russian distillery Ladoga (St. Petersburg). The merger of the companies improved the turnover between the countries, and the opportunity of long-term deliveries to CIS countries presented itself to Fruko-Schulz. To this day, the company's portfolio includes more than a hundred different products and continues to increase every year.

2020

Fruko-Schulz became the exclusive importer of Ukrainian vodkas Hlibny Dar.

2018

Fruko-Schulz became the exclusive importer of Russian sparkling wines Abrau Durso.

2017

Fruko-Schulz became the exclusive importer of Russian gins Barrister.

2016

Fruko-Schulz became the exclusive importer of Roullet cognacs.

2014

Fruko-Schulz presented the premium cocktails liqueurs at Prague Bar Show 2014.

2014

Fruko-Schulz presented the premium cocktails liqueurs at Moscow Bar Show 2014.

2013

Fruko-Schulz received the highest awards at the Liqueur Master in London, UK.

2011

Fruko-Schulz has launched the production of a new line of premium liqueurs.

2009

Fruko-Schulz became the exclusive importer of Russian vodkas Czar's Gold, Czar's Village, Imperial Collection.

2007

Fruko-Schulz became the member of LADOGA Group.