The Radostický mill in the south of Moravia begins writing the first chapter of the story of the Bonavita company and the Procházka family. It is a story the Procházka family has an influence on to this day. Their love of the land and the element of water and their penchant for technology have determined the destinies of several generations. It was here that Vladimír Procházka learned the milling trade and later bought and renovated his own mill in nearby Moravské Bránice.
Vladimír and his family restored a mill in the charming village of Moravské Bránice and started production with three pairs of grinding cylinders supplemented by a French grinding stone. The mill was powered by an overshot water wheel with a diameter of 8.5 metres.
The range of products at that time included wheat and rye flour, buckwheat, groats and oatmeal. The mill included a pond and fields in the surroundings. After the end of World War II, his son Miloš took up the miller’s mantle.
The advent of Communist totalitarianism interrupted the production and Miloš Procházka moved to the mills in Brno, and then to the Research Institute of Mills and Bakeries, where he managed the technical development department.
His three sons graduated from the secondary technical school of the food industry in Pardubice. This provided them with valuable knowledge that would come in handy after 1989…
The third generation of the Procházka family took up the reins of the family business. The three brothers joined forces and together with Mr. Urban laid the foundation stone of the new Pragosoja company.
Pragosoja started the production of its own soy products under the Bonavita brand – and in 2014, the company was renamed as Bonavita.
The name Bonavita means GOOD LIFE in Latin. We did not choose the name randomly. It is a reminder that soy or cereal products can be a healthy alternative to the established eating habits of (not only) Czech people.
The name is also universal and easy to understand, which helps us when exporting abroad – we didn't want to become just a country focused on importing and we are proud to be able to export Czech products to the world.
We started the production of cornflakes and the associated promotion of healthy breakfast cereals. Within two years,
Bonavita becomes one of the TOP 3 brands on the market.
We started production of cereals for children and families. We confirmed the importance of breakfast as a meal. We presented the most comprehensive range of breakfast cereal products on the Czech market.
This was a year when three big changes took place: The company established its own distribution network for the Czech Republic. It significantly expanded its product portfolio. And it began offering products not just under the Bonavita brand, but also for private brand production.
Our products are certified by the IFS (International Food Standard) and BRC (British Retail Consortium), confirming their safety and quality. Our presence abroad is starting to become more significant.
The company becomes one of the leading domestic players on the breakfast cereal market.
With the completion of a second production hall, we expanded our capacity and added another production line for cereals a year later. At the same time, we focus more and more on the environmental side of our business. How? We favour local raw materials; we support the separation of packaging. We are proud that 10% of the energy our production needs comes from renewable energy sources – from our very own photovoltaic plant, which is directly connected to the production line for cereals.
With the launch of oatmeal production, the family returns to its milling roots.
In 2020, eight members of the Procházka and Urban families are working at Bonavita. Over 150 years of tradition begins writing a new chapter of our story. We do not perceive modernisation as a bogeyman, but as potential, and we are considering other sustainable production principles that we want to incorporate in the future.
