Fanta was created in Germany in 1940 as a wartime substitute for Coca-Cola.
During the Second World War, Coca-Cola’s German operation could not obtain the syrup needed to make the standard drink because trade restrictions interrupted supplies from the United States. Max Keith, who managed Coca-Cola GmbH in Germany, authorized a drink made from available ingredients such as whey and apple fiber.
The name Fanta came from the German word “Fantasie,” meaning imagination. The wartime beverage was not the same orange-flavored drink sold globally today. Its recipe and color varied according to the ingredients available in different periods.
The modern orange version developed after the war and became especially associated with Coca-Cola’s international bottling system. Fanta is therefore a Coca-Cola brand, even though its origin is often mistaken for that of an independent soft-drink company. Its history shows how supply shortages can produce a lasting consumer brand.