Fanta was invented in Nazi Germany during World War II due to a trade embargo that cut off Coca-Cola's supply of ingredients needed to produce its flagship drink. As a result, Max Keith, the head of Coca-Cola's operations in Germany, developed a new soft drink using available ingredients such as whey and apple pomace, leftovers from food production. Launched in 1940, this new beverage was named "Fanta," derived from the German word "Fantasie" (imagination). Fanta became quite popular in wartime Germany, and after the war, Coca-Cola regained control of the brand, eventually turning it into a globally recognized product.