Episode 166
Happy Holidays!
To those celebrating this time of year, Uncle Mike is wrapping things up with some helpful phrases and vocab to help you get through it. As always, Tony D is there to help with the pronunciations.
Hope you had an fun and safe holiday.
Lesson
Leftovers - ostatke
Adults - Odrasli
Hungover - mamruni
To toss - baciti
Wrapping paper - zamatanje
The day after Christmas is Saint Stephens and a holiday. - Dan poslije Božića je Sveti Stjepan i praznik.
We're eating leftovers. - Jedemo ostatke.
Kids are playing with new toys. - Djeca se igraju s novim igračkama.
The adults are hungover. - Odrasli su mamurni.
There are too many cookies. - Previše je kolačića.
We're throwing away wrapping paper. - Bacamo papir za zamatanje.
Super Slatko Report
In this Super Slatko Report, DJ MOE is talking Franck Coffee, a Croatian staple.
Starting in Zagreb, Croatia’s bustling capital, with its Austro-Hungarian architecture and spirited cafic culture. If you’re wandering the streets not paying attention you might walk right past one of the city’s most enduring landmarks: the Franck coffee factory and headquarters on Vodo vodna Street. Founded in 1892, this facility began life on what was then the edge of town and, more than 130 years later, still stands proudly in the heart of modern Zagreb’s industrial-meets-urban landscape.
The story of Franck begins even earlier, in 1827, with Johann H. Franck, a young and ambitious German entrepreneur who figured out how to make a hot beverage from medicinal chicory — a plant that offered a coffee-like experience when real coffee beans were expensive or hard to get. That early focus on creativity and making the most of local ingredients set the tone for what would become a Croatian institution. By the time the Zagreb factory opened in 1892, Franck was already experimenting with turning humble plant roots into something both comforting and innovative — a tradition that would only grow stronger over the decades.
Worth mentioning, Franck’s original chicory root hot beverage is caffeine free. The Franck brand grew from being able to satiate the thirst of the people by offering a dark, roasted, flavorful experience much more obtainable than coffee at the time. According to the Franck timeline on their website, they didn’t start manufacturing actual coffee products until 1960, thats almost 70 years after their Chicory original product.
In the early days, price and accessibility helped Franck stand out: coffee was still a luxury, so chicory beverages filled a real need in everyday households. Over time, as the company began producing actual coffee — and later teas and other beverages — it carved out a reputation for reliable quality and familiar flavour profiles that felt Croatian, even amid international brands. Their signature vacuum-sealed ground coffee, known affectionately as the “ciglica” (little brick) and especially the Jubilarna blend — became a staple in homes and a classic gift to bring when visiting friends. Franck’s dominance in Croatia’s coffee aisle and its long-lasting popularity testify to both smart branding and genuine consumer love.
Fast forward to the present, and Franck has grown far beyond its humble chicory beginnings. Today, the company leads the market in coffee and tea categories in Croatia and the wider region, offering over 30 premium-quality flavours and blends — from classic ground coffee to modern espressos, cappuccinos, instant mixes, specialty Arabica offerings, and fruit-infused teas. Importantly, Franck’s reach now extends well beyond Croatian borders: its Jubilarna ground coffee is sold in hundreds of stores across €115 millionEurope ($135 million dollars) and even in more than 150 Walmart locations in the United States, marking a notable global expansion.
If you’re a coffee lover planning to be in Zagreb, you’re in for a treat! In 2022 Franck opened the Franck Experience Store in the heart of the city — a modern space where visitors can sample a range of coffees, teas, and cereal-based drinks, you can see high-tech silos, and watch small-batch roasting in action. The Franck experience store serves as a living showcase of the brand’s heritage and innovation. Expect a sensory journey: aroma, taste, and design all come together to celebrate what made Franck a fixture of Croatian hot beverage culture.
Franck Coffee is not just a drink — it’s a piece of Croatian culture. From its 19th-century chicory roots, to its modern range of coffees in cafés, homes, and international aisles. Franck has made a rich cup of Chicory or coffee into an emblem of everyday life. Next time you pick up a Jubilarna ciglica, remember you’re holding more than coffee — you’re holding a story that been brewing for more than a century.
And that’s it for the Super Slatko Report.
