Facts at a Glance
- Fanta was invented in Germany in 1940 as a Coca-Cola substitute because US raw materials were no longer available
- The original Fanta consisted of whey and apple scraps – completely different from today’s orange soda
- In 1943, 3 million cases were sold, often used as a cooking ingredient since sugar was rationed
Germany in 1940 – a nation at war, isolated from the world by trade embargos and blockades.
For Max Keith, the managing director of Coca-Cola GmbH in Essen, this meant an existential crisis: The import of the legendary Coca-Cola syrup from Atlanta was suddenly prohibited. What would become of the 50 German Coca-Cola factories that had previously produced 4.5 million cases of the American cult beverage annually?
Keith faced a seemingly impossible task. Germans loved their Coca-Cola, but the raw materials were no longer available due to the war. Instead of giving up, the businessman demonstrated remarkable ingenuity. He commissioned his chief chemist Wolfgang Schetelig with a mission that today seems almost surreal.
The result was revolutionary and bizarre at the same time: A soda based on whey – a byproduct of cheese production – and apple scraps. This unusual combination actually produced a drinkable refreshing beverage with a slightly sweet fruit flavor. Wartime made people inventive, and thus necessity gave birth to a drink that would later delight millions of people worldwide.
Interestingly, many Germans didn’t just consume Fanta as a beverage. Since sugar was strictly rationed, housewives used the sweet soda as a cooking ingredient to add flavor and sweetness to soups and stews. Fanta thus became an unexpected kitchen helper during wartime.
The Myth
Fanta was invented by the Nazis and was a typical German propaganda beverage of the Third Reich, deliberately developed as an anti-American alternative to Coca-Cola.
The Reality
Fanta emerged for purely practical reasons as an emergency solution by an American company. Max Keith was not a Nazi Party member, but a businessman who wanted to keep his factories running. After the war, Coca-Cola immediately regained control.
Food for Thought
- Alternative Scenarios: What would have happened if Keith had simply closed the factories? Would Germany have developed its own soft drink industry that competed with Coca-Cola after the war?
- Modern Parallels: Today we see similar situations with trade wars and sanctions – Russian companies develop Coca-Cola alternatives, Chinese firms replace Western technology. History repeats itself in new forms.
Sources & Further Reading
- Pendergrast, Mark. *For God, Country, and Coca-Cola: The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink* (2013)
- The Coca-Cola Company. *Official Company History Archives* (various publications)
- Blanding, Michael. *The Coke Machine: The Dirty Truth Behind the World’s Favorite Soft Drink* (2010)
- Isdell, Neville & Beasley, David. *Inside Coca-Cola: A CEO’s Life Story* (2011)
- Image Credit: Product photography of a Fanta bottle with filled glass. Photographer: Illustratedjc. License: CC BY-SA 4.0
