Fanta was created by Max Keith, the head of Coca-Cola's operations in Germany during World War II. Due to a trade embargo imposed by the United States on Nazi Germany, Coca-Cola Germany could no longer import the syrup needed to make Coca-Cola. To keep the business running, Max Keith developed a new soft drink using available ingredients such as whey (a cheese by-product) and apple pomace, which were leftovers from other food production. This new beverage was launched in 1940 and named "Fanta," derived from the German word "Fantasie" (imagination) after a naming contest among employees

. The original Fanta had a different taste and composition from the modern orange-flavored Fanta, which was developed later in Italy in 1955. The drink became very popular in wartime Germany, selling millions of cases despite severe sugar rationing

. After the war, Coca-Cola regained control of the brand and expanded its production worldwide.