Why is Fanta Called Fanta?

Wanta Fanta? Don’t ya wanta, wanta Fanta?

If you didn’t sing that in your head just now… you’d better watch this.

Fanta isn’t just the subject of a dangerously catchy jingle – it also happens to be the best-selling orange soda brand in the world, and the 9th best-selling soft drink overall. Fanta drinks are sold in 188 different countries. Orange is Fanta’s most popular flavor, but Fanta boasts over 90 different flavors worldwide. That’s where Fanta’s most recent slogan “Be More Than One Flavor” comes from – their advertising emphasizes trying all sorts of different things and flavors with Fanta (and the updated Fantanas).

Image from www.fanta.com

Why is it called Fanta?

Fanta was created in Germany in 1940 – as in, Fanta was created during World War II in Nazi Germany. And Fanta wasn’t created in spite of the war, but rather because of it. During WWII, there was no shipping between Nazi Germany and the United States due to a trade embargo. This made it impossible for the German Coca-Cola Company to get imported Coca-Cola syrup. Head of the German Coca-Cola Company Max Keith decided to develop a new drink using ingredients only found in Germany to keep the plant going. Thus, Fanta was born.

Keith made a fruit-flavored drink with the ingredients he was able to scrounge up – apple fiber left over from cider presses and whey from cheese factories. The drink didn’t look or taste anything like today’s Fanta Orange – it was a yellow color with an ever-changing flavor. Fruits used in the Fanta formula depended on whatever ingredients could be found at the time, as did the taste. Fanta’s been more than one flavor from the beginning!

The name “Fanta” was chosen during an employee contest to name the new beverage. Max Keith told the employees to use their “fantasie” (German for “imagination”) while thinking up names. Upon hearing that, salesman Joe Knipp immediately suggested the name Fanta. It stuck, and Fanta grew to be very popular in Germany. After the war ended, the United States brought Fanta to the states and ultimately bought the trademark in 1960.

Image from logos.wikia.com

Nowadays, it’s still easy to try (and “be”) more than one flavor of Fanta – but if you want to try all 90+, you’ll have to travel a bit. 13 Fanta flavors are available in the U.S., but the rest are only found internationally. You can try Fanta Elderflower in Romania, Fanta Sour Watermelon in New Zealand, Fanta Cream Soda in Canada… the possibilities are nearly endless!

What’s a soda flavor you’d love to try? There might be a Fanta flavored with it somewhere in the world!