Fanta () is an American-owned brand of fruit-flavored carbonation soft drink created by Coca-Cola Deutschland under the leadership of Germans businessman Max Keith. There are over 200 flavors worldwide.
Fanta originated in Germany as a Coca-Cola alternative in 1940 due to the American trade embargo of Nazi Germany which affected the availability of Coca-Cola ingredients. Fanta soon dominated the German market with three million cases sold in 1943. The current formulation of Fanta, with orange flavor, was developed in Italy in 1955.
He later described them as the "leftovers of leftovers". 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!".
The German plant had been cut off from Coca-Cola headquarters following the US's entry into the war after the German declaration of war against the United States 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.
In 1943, 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.
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, using Elderberry as a main ingredient.
Fanta production was discontinued in 1949. In 1955, in Naples, Italy, production of a new formulation with oranges began.
Even then, its availability was limited especially after the 1980s due to sister brand Minute Maid selling similar products under its own name. In 2001, Fanta received a national push due to the U.S.'s growing Hispanic population and the drink's proven popularity in Latin America.
The modern-day orange Fanta was first produced in Naples, Italy in 1955 by a local bottling plant using locally sourced oranges. The design of the classic annulated bottle comes from these years.
In early February 2023, The Coca Cola Company announced that Lilt (a pineapple and grapefruit soft drink sold in countries such as the United Kingdom and Ireland) would be rebranded as Fanta Pineapple and Grapefruit flavor on 14 February 2023.
In Brazil, regional flavors such as guarana, passion fruit and cashew began to be sold between 2010 and 2020.
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.
==Logo history==
Modern product
International availability
Europe
Latin America
South Africa
Philippines
Marketing
75th anniversary version
See also
External links
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