Fanta

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Fanta

Type	Soft drink
Manufacturer	The Coca-Cola Company
Introduced	1940 Germany
Variants	See International availability section below

Fanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored fizzy juice soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide, but most of them are only available in certain countries.

History

Fanta has its origins in Germany,^[1] when a trading ban was placed on that nation by the Allies during World War II.^[1] The Coca-Cola company therefore was not able to import the syrup needed to produce Coca-Cola in Germany.^[1] As a result, Max Keith, the man in charge of Coca-Cola's operations in Germany during the second World War, decided to create a new product for the German market created using only ingredients available in Germany at the time^[1], including whey and pomace – the "leftovers of leftovers", as Keith later recalled^[2].The name was the result of a brief brainstorming session, which started with Keith exhorting his team to "use their imagination"("Fantasie" in German), to which one of his salesmen, Joe Knipp, immediately retorted "Fanta"^[2].

New Fanta Orange and Grape cans, showing both sides.

Fanta is known for its upbeat advertising; in the United States, it showcases The Fantanas, a casted group of female spokesmodels each of which promotes an individual Fanta flavour. In mid-2009, Fanta began its search for a member to become the fourth Fantana.

Ingredients

The composition of Fanta, for the same flavor, varies from country to country. For example, the European Fanta Orange contains orange juice (in varying percentages but typically 6%), whereas the US formulation does not ^[3]. The Australian version is 2.1% fruit juice, and South American formulations also have orange juice, especially in Brazil, where Fanta is 10% orange juice. These differences mean the taste of Fanta differs greatly from country to country, more so than regular Coca Cola, and may in part explain why the drink's popularity varies so much between different countries. Difference in coloring can be observed internationally. For example, where European Fanta Orange is light orange, almost yellow, in Latin and North American markets it is deep orange in color:

Spanish Fanta Orange formulation: ^[4]

• Carbonated water, sugar, 8% orange juice from concentrate, acidity regulator E-330 (citric acid), aromas, preserver E-211 (sodium benzoate), stabilizers E-414 (gum arabic), E-412 (guar gum), E-445, antioxidant E-300 (ascorbic acid), food coloring E-160a (Carotene) and gelatine (made from fish).

United States Fanta Orange formulation:

• Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate, modified food starch, natural and artificial flavors, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, sodium polyphosphates, coconut oil, yellow 6, brominated vegetable oil, red 40, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate.
  

  

  Fanta's old and new logos.

British Fanta Orange formulation: ^[5]

• Carbonated water, sugar (from beet and/or cane), orange fruit from concentrate (5%), citric acid, vegetable extracts (carrot, pumpkin), preservative (potassium sorbate), natural flavourings, sweeteners (sodium saccharin, aspartame), acidity regulator (sodium citrate)

Italian Fanta Orange formulation: ^[6]

• Water, 12% orange juice, sugar, carbon dioxide, citric acid, flavorings, preservative (potassium sorbate), stabilizer (gum arabic), antioxidant (ascorbic acid)

The combination of sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in some soft drinks may potentially lead to the formation of benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen. However, Fanta has not been shown to contain benzene above the limits set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ for drinking water ^[7]

International availability

A Fanta bottle, produced in Nigeria and imported from Ghana to The Netherlands. It was bought at a market in Amsterdam Bijlmer.

There are over 70 different flavors worldwide. For example, in Romania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and some other countries, there is "Fanta Shokata" (a wordplay between "soc"- elderberry in Romanian- and "shock") based on the elderflower blossoms extract drink, traditional in Romania (where it's called Socată), Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Balkan countries. In Switzerland and the Netherlands, the local berry blackcurrant is used to produce Fanta as well. Some identical flavors have different names in different markets. The classic orange, for example, was rebranded "Fanta Funky Orange" in 2003 in some countries.

Primary competitors to Fanta have included Tango, Mirinda, Slice, Orange Crush, and Tropicana Twister.^{[citation needed]} Fanta was the second drink to be produced by Coca-Cola, apart from the original Coca-Cola.^[1]

Pop culture

• In the Japanese manga Prince of Tennis, Echizen Ryoma is frequently seen drinking Fanta.
• In the Japanese manga " Zombie-Loan", Koyomi Yoimachi is always getting drunk by drinking too much Fanta. In the anime, the name changed to Fantan.
• In Spanish culture, a "Fantabuyer" (pagafantas) is a man in love with a young woman who does not love him back. The phrase suggests always being the one paying for another's soft drink.^[8]
• The Vatican has admitted^[9] that Pope Benedict XVI favorite beverage is Fanta.^[10][11]

References

External links

• Media related to Fanta at Wikimedia Commons
• Fanta Official Website
• Fanta's Official YouTube Channel
• Fanta Games - Virtual Tennis and Crew
• History of Coca-cola and Fanta complete with pictures
• Fanta on Coca-cola.com
• Coke phasing out Minute Maid soft drinks