In what year was Fanta introduced?

Fanta was introduced in 1940. It originated in Germany during World War II, when Coca-Cola’s German operation could no longer reliably obtain the syrup and ingredients needed to produce Coca-Cola because of wartime trade restrictions.

Max Keith, who led Coca-Cola Deutschland, oversaw the creation of a substitute drink made with ingredients available locally. Early Fanta used materials such as whey and apple pomace, and its flavor was very different from the orange Fanta most people know today. The name came from Fantasie, the German word for imagination.

The modern orange formulation was developed later in Italy and began production in Naples in 1955. Coca-Cola acquired the Fanta brand in 1960 and expanded it internationally. Thus, 1940 is the year Fanta began, while 1955 refers to the origin of the modern orange version—a distinction that often causes confusion.