Fanta

Fanta Klassik ("classic") was sold in Germany in 2015, marking the 75th anniversary of the drink.

Fanta orange from Mexico

During the Second World War, the United States established a trade embargo against Nazi Germany, making the export of Coca-Cola syrup difficult.[2] To circumvent this, Max Keith, the head of Coca-Cola Deutschland (Coca-Cola GmbH), decided to create a new product for the German market, using only ingredients available in Germany at the time, including sugar beet, whey (a cheese byproduct), and apple pomace—the "leftovers of leftovers", as Keith later recalled.[2][3] The name was the result of a brainstorming session, which started with Keith's exhorting his team to "use their imagination" (Fantasie in German), to which one of his salesmen, Joe Knipp, retorted "Fanta!".[3]

The German plant was cut off from Coca-Cola headquarters following America's entry into the war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. After the war, the Coca-Cola Company regained control of the plant, formula, and the trademarks to the new Fanta product—as well as the plant profits made during the war.[2][3]

In 1943 alone, 3 million cases of Fanta were sold in Germany. Many bottles were not consumed as a beverage but used as a cooking ingredient to add sweetness and flavor to soups and stews, as sugar was severely rationed.[2][3]

During the war, the Dutch Coca-Cola plant in Amsterdam (N.V. Nederlandse Coca-Cola Maatschappij) suffered the same difficulties as the German Coca-Cola plant. Keith put the Fanta brand at the disposal of the Dutch Coca-Cola plant, of which he had been appointed the official caretaker. Dutch Fanta had a different recipe from German Fanta, elderberries being one of the main ingredients.[4]

Fanta production was discontinued in 1949.

In 1955, in Naples, in the SNIBEG plant (Società Napoletana Imbottigliamento Bevande Gassate), thanks to the intervention of Count Ermelino Matarazzo di Licosa, Fanta was produced for the first time in its formulation with oranges, giving life to the product we know today.

Logo used before re-branding in 2016. This logo was first introduced in 2008, shown here is the 2010 version. However, it is still used in some other countries.

Following the launch of several drinks by Pepsi-Cola in the 1950s, SNIBERG relaunched Fanta in 1955 with a different formulation. Coca-Cola in 1960 bought the brand, distributing it all over the world. The drink was heavily marketed in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, although it did not become widely available in the United States until the 1960s because the company feared it would undermine the strong market position of their flagship cola.[5] Even then, its availability was spotty at best especially after the 1980s due to sister brand Minute Maid selling similar products under its own name. It wasn't until 2001 that Fanta finally received a national push due to the U.S.'s growing Hispanic population and the drink's proven popularity in Latin America.[6]

The modern-day orange Fanta was first produced in Naples, Italy in 1955 by a local bottling plant using locally sourced oranges.[7][8][9] The design of the classic annulated bottle comes from these years.

In February 2015, a 75th-anniversary version of Fanta was released in Germany. Packaged in glass bottles evoking the original design and with an authentic original wartime flavor including 30% whey and pomace, it is described on the packaging as "less sweet" and a German original. An associated television ad referenced the history of the drink and said the Coca-Cola company wanted to bring back "the feeling of the Good Old Times" which was interpreted by many to mean Nazi rule. The ad was subsequently replaced.[11][12]