Fanta is today known as one of the world’s most popular fruity soft drinks. It is famous for its bright orange colour and sweet, tangy taste. But the story behind its creation is linked to World War II. Fanta was created in Germany in the 1940s when Coca-Cola faced a major challenge. In 1941, after the US joined World War II, trade between the US and Germany stopped. Because of this, Coca-Cola’s German factory could not get the syrup needed to make the original Coca-Cola.
So, Max Keith, the head of Coca-Cola Deutschland, decided to create a new beverage using ingredients that were available locally. His team used leftover apple pulp from cider production and whey, a by-product of cheese-making, along with beet sugar to develop a new drink, according to McGill.
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The new beverage needed a name. Keith encouraged his team to use their imagination. A salesman, Joe Knipp, suggested the name “Fanta”, which came from the German word “Fantasie”, meaning imagination. The drink became popular in Germany during the war because it was made with locally available ingredients and helped Coca-Cola continue its operations despite the restrictions.
How Did Fanta Get Its Orange Colour?
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The original Fanta was not orange-flavoured. Its ingredients changed depending on what was available in different regions. After World War II, the orange flavour became the identity of Fanta.
The famous Fanta Orange flavour was developed in Italy, where oranges were widely available after the war. As a result, the citrus flavour became popular around the world and turned Fanta into the colourful drink people know today.
Fanta’s Connection With Coca-Cola
In 1884, pharmacist John Pemberton created a drink called Pemberton’s French Wine Coca. It was made with coca leaves, alcohol, and an extract from kola nuts, which naturally contain caffeine.
However, in 1886, the US state of Georgia introduced laws banning the sale of alcohol. Since Pemberton’s drink contained alcohol, he had to create a new version without it. After many experiments, Pemberton and his accountant, Frank Robinson, made a new syrup using coca leaves and kola nuts but without alcohol.
Pemberton took the syrup to Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta and asked the owner, Willis Venable, for advice. Venable mixed the syrup with carbonated (soda) water, and the result was a refreshing soft drink. This is how Coca-Cola was born, according to Hindustan Coca Cola beverages blog.
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In the early days, Coca-Cola contained a very small amount of cocaine, which comes from coca leaves. But in 1903, the company removed it completely. The drink no longer uses kola nuts either. Instead, caffeine is added separately. Coca-Cola gets its brown colour from caramel.
Coca-Cola sponsored the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and by the late 1930s, the brand had become well established in Germany. When World War II began and trade with the US stopped, Coca-Cola’s German factory could no longer import the syrup needed to make Coke. So, Keith created a new drink using local ingredients. That drink later became Fanta.
Fanta In India
Fanta entered India in 1993 and quickly became popular because of its refreshing fruity taste and bright colour. The brand first became famous for its orange flavour. Later, it also introduced Fanta Apple.
Today, Fanta is manufactured by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) and remains one of the most popular soft drinks enjoyed by people across the country.
