Who invented Fanta? You might have heard all sorts of stories. The 80-year history of the iconic drink might still surprise you.
While the brand’s most celebrated iteration is the iconic orange flavour, the soft drink has proved itself surprisingly adaptable over its almost 80-year history.
“Fanta is a really fun brand that Kiwis have been enjoying for years,” said Fanta Brand Manager Gina Beck. “It’s a bit of a cheeky brand. We can get away with a little bit more.”
One of the hallmarks of the brand’s popularity is its unique ability to convey light-hearted enjoyment through a variety of different flavours.
With a new range coming to New Zealand soon, we look back over Fanta’s surprising story.
The origins of Fanta
So let’s start this story at the beginning.
Fanta traces its origins back to World War II. At the time, the
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In 1939
To keep the operation running, the German-born head of the local operation, Max Keith, came up with a way to mix whey and apple fibre with whatever seasonal fruit was available. The result was a soda a bit like ginger ale. Max marketed this new drink under the name Fanta, a shortening of the German word ‘fantasie’.
Through the sales of Fanta, Max kept the local operation alive, despite not being able to have any contact with US headquarters. Once the war was over, Max returned the profits to the company’s headquarters in Atlanta and Coke resumed its German operations.
The modern version of Fanta
The Fanta we know now was born in Naples, Italy, where in 1955
Currently, Fanta is the second-largest soft drink brand in the world.
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