Everything Old is New Again

Right now I'm sipping a bottle of Fanta red tangerine, just new to the Canadian market earlier in August. Fanta hasn't been seen around these parts since the 1980s when Fanta orange was a staple in the Canadian Coca-Cola portfolio. Twenty years later Fanta has re-surfaced in Canada with flavors: Grape, Red Tangerine, Cream Soda and Wildberry. It's ironic that the orange is no where to be seen since it was the flavor that first brought the brand to its popularity here two decades ago.

Fanta was originally conceived in Germany in 1940 and was purchased by the Coca-Cola Company in 1960. Now, nearly 50 years later, Coca-Cola has upwards of 70 different flavors of Fanta in 180 countries. Many Fanta flavors are only available in very specific overseas areas with varieties such as Fanta Shokata, Fanta Funky Orange, Lactic White Grape, Beetroot and Red Emotion.

It's hard to say if Fanta will find success here in the Canadian market - the beverage landscape in 2007 is much different than it was 20 years ago. There are so many variations and spin-off products, especially by Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Earlier this summer, Pepsi found some success with its new Lipton Brisk Green tea with Apple soda. And while Coca-Cola packaging for 'Black Cherry Vanilla Coke' still screams "NEW" across it, it's obvious that BCV (which hasn't been new for nearly a year) just isn't catching on. 7Up's Lemon Squeeze started out strong in May and June, but by July was discontinued and has all but disappeared from store shelves here in Ontario.

And so the revolving door sodas continue.

Will Fanta be the latest coming and going? Coke would have you believe it's yet another extension of Fanta's worldwide success, but I'm skeptical that it'll be around a year from now.