Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi has been a long-debated topic for many, but what most people don’t know is how these companies adapt during times of war and how Fanta was created for Nazi Germany during WWII. In the 1920s, Coca-Cola expanded its business to Europe, opening its first bottling plant in France in 1920. Eventually, they started to sell and bottle the drinks in Germany by 1929. By 1933, Max Kieth had taken control of the division of Coca-Cola in Germany.
Kieth was exceptionally loyal to the company, rather than to his home country of Germany. During the time Kieth had taken control, the Nazi Party was gaining power in Germany. Because of his loyalty, he had no problem affiliating Coca-Cola with the Nazis if it meant greater sales of their product. The CEO of Coca-Cola who led the company in America, Robert Woodruff, had no issues either with them being associated with Nazis at the time. He even attended the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where the Coca-Cola logo was alongside the swastika on banners. Don’t worry though because the American side of the business decided to support America in the war later on. They did this by selling them for 5 cents each and ensuring that Coca-Cola would be able to get to combat zones for the American troops.
Even when Hitler invaded Europe, it didn’t affect the company at all. The American part of the company still supported the part in Germany by supplying them with syrup and supplies. In fact, the German division of Coca-Cola actually benefited from Hitler invading Europe. When Germany conquered other countries like Italy or France, Kieth would take over the Coca-Cola businesses in those countries. There is even a rumor that Hitler himself enjoyed Coca-Cola and would even drink it while watching American movies. Coca-Cola had still been getting support from its counterpart in America until December 7, 1941. The Attack on Pearl Harbor.
When the United States retaliated and joined the Allies in WWII because of the attack on Pearl Harbor, an embargo was set in place for Germany. Trade was completely stopped with Germany, so the German subsidiary of Coca-Cola would no longer get supplies to make their soda. German government threatened to take over because the company was an American-owned business. With this and the inability to make Coke anymore, Kieth had no choice but to create a new beverage.
Kieth decided to work with chemists to create a soda with the readily available supplies given to them. Keep in mind that they were very limited because of war rationing. They decided that their new drink would be made from the leftovers of other parts of the food industry. They used beet sugar, apple pulp and fibers, fruit shavings, and remaining milk from cheese production to make a new soda called Fanta, or fantasy in German. Fanta then became the drink of choice for the country because other choices of drinks were becoming less common because of the rationing. It became so popular that became exempt from the wartime rationing. Fanta was also a popular sweetener for, weirdly enough, soups and other cooking/baking needs because of the exemption of rationing. After the war was over, in 1955, Coca-Cola decided to make a new recipe for Fanta, making it orange-flavored, and selling it in Italy. In time, Coca-Cola started to sell Fanta in the United States in 1958.
Now with Coca-Cola having ties with Nazi Germany, it may make you wonder about what atrocities Pepsi committed during WWII. Did they make a monopoly to dominate the soda industry in the Soviet Union? Did they have ties to the Japanese? Well, the answer is pretty simple, they chose to stay in America and become patriots to support the war. Pepsi decided to change its logo and labels to red, white, and blue like the colors of the American flag. All in all, Fanta was a drink made by Coca-Cola out of desperation to stay afloat in Germany because of food rationing that came from WWII.
Sources:
https://samilhistory.com/2023/04/24/the-real-cola-wars/
https://www.tidridge.com/uploads/3/8/4/1/3841927/fanta.pdf
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/fanta-soda-origins-nazi-germany
Questions:
What is your favorite soda?
Did you know that Fanta was made for Germany in WWII?
Do you think that buying Fanta is okay to do today?
Replies
My fav soda is strawberry crush. That stuff is amazing, same with the grape one. I dont really like coke or fanta. thye kinda boring. They also dont taste that good.
My favorite soda is Cherry Coke because I like how it is sweet and sour pretty much at the same time. This topic caught me off guard because I was jsut reading the titles and this one was way different than anyone elses. I didn't know anything about this topic and I found it very interesting. I think that as of now, Fanta is fine to buy. I like it and I think it shouldn't be judged because of the past.
I feel that most people would be surprised that Fanta was made in Germany during WWII too. I also agree that Fanta shouldn't be judged for its past because they had to make it during that time.
I did not know that Fanta was made for Germany in WWII. I just thought it was a soda that America made. Sometimes I like to enjoy a strawberry Fanta on a car ride of in the summer, however, one of my favorite sodas to drink is Dr. Pepper.
My favorite pop is root beer. I didn't know that Fanta was made for Germany during WWII. I think buying Fanta today is OK as Nazi Germany has ended and is long gone (Hopefully).
I agree that buying Fanta is alright to do because Nazi Germany ended a long time ago and there is no way that Coca-Cola has the same values as it did during WWII.
My favorite pop would have to be Dr, Pepper even though I stopped drinking pop. I had no idea that Fanta was made for Germany in WWII. I don't see anything wrong with buying Fanta because in the end it is still just a type of pop that kids like to drink and it's good for our economy.
My favorite pop is Dr. Pepper and while that isn't a Coca-Cola product, I think that buying their products is fine. It was just a business trying to make as much money as possible and that's the whole point of capitalism. Also, sometimes we just have to move on from the past.
I agree that buying Fanta is okay because it was just good business to do what they did. What they did back then was more out of desperation rather than with malicious intent.
I do not drink pop very often, however, when I do, it is either a diet coke or a diet Mt. Dew. The reason I drink diet is because I do not need all of the sugar and sodium that comes in the fully loaded pops. They are not good for you. I did not know that Fanta was made in WWII for Germany.
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