 Bonton Group grew from the Bonton Music record label established in May 1989 by Czech jazzman Martin Kratochvíl, who became chairman.By the late 1990s group sales reached US$50 million, and Bonton had established itself as a market leader in the Czech Republic in film, music, broadcasting and video.It operated the largest music retailer, was exclusive film distributor of major Hollywood films, and even produced the first privately made Czech film "" (1991) which set box office records.