Fanta was born in the austerity of post-war Germany, when the Coca-Cola company had to use sugar beet rather than cane to sweeten it, and the name is based on ‘Fantasie’.
In the period leading up to World War II, between 1930 and 1936, Coca-Cola set up a division of the company in Germany, and continued that venture during the war.
It recreated its image as a German company and allowed the Germans to produce all but two, secret, Coca-Cola ingredients in their own factories.
In 1941 the German company's president, Max Keith, developed Fanta orange soda using orange flavoring and all the German-made Coke ingredients.
Despite the increasing devastation caused by Allied bombing, for most the war the German Coke company maintained profitable annual sales figures of about sixty million bottles.
In 1960, Coca-Coca added its first new line in the United States, Fanta. Fanta products, which come in a variety of fruit flavors such as orange and grape, had been sold by Coke bottlers in other countries for many years.
Whereas Sprite was an American campaign exported around the world, Fanta has its strength in overseas market.
Fanta in the early 1970s, were attacked because they had artificial color. Competitors used this to demean the product even though the coloring was quite safe. The company replaced the artificial coloring with natural coloring, but the impact on product sales was severe for about five years before began to grow again.
As leading global soft drink brand, Fanta launched a campaign building on overseas market positions and emphasizing Fanta as a fashion statement.
In 1979, Coca-Coal entered the Soviet Union with Fanta Orange Soda.
Short History of Fanta
