In which country was Sprite developed in 1959 as Fanta Klare Zitrone?

Sprite was developed in West Germany in 1959 as Fanta Klare Zitrone, or “Fanta Clear Lemon.”

The drink began as a lemon-lime flavor of Fanta rather than as the Sprite brand now recognized worldwide. Coca-Cola later introduced it in the United States under the Sprite name in 1961, positioning it as a competitor to 7 Up.

A common mix-up is answering the United States because Sprite was branded and launched there in 1961. The beverage’s origin and its brand launch are different milestones: its recipe and early product history trace back to West Germany, while its American introduction came two years later.

The name Sprite itself had been used earlier for other Coca-Cola-related drinks. Coca-Cola acquired the rights to the name in 1960, shortly before applying it to the lemon-lime beverage. Today, Sprite is known for its clear appearance and lemon-lime flavor, but its earliest form was sold under the Fanta name.