This is almost a trick question, but in reality aside from quirky foreigner stores you will not find Fanta in the Philippines! So, why is there no Fanta in the Philippines? Because there is Fanta it is just called Royal.
Oh and Fun Fact – Fanta was invented by the Nazis!
Royal vs Fanta
I remember being on one of my first trips to the Philippines and seeing bottles (glass ones at that) of Coke, Sprite and Royal. Royal was orange and had the distinct branding and look of a Fanta, I asked my Filipino friend if it was Fanta and she replied “no, it is Royal, what is this Fanta you speak of”? Basically no one in the Philippines, or hardly anyone to be more precise has even heard of Fanta, surely one of the most recognisable brands in the world.
Does Fanta mean something bad in Tagalog?
My initial theory was that Fanta meant something funny in the Philippines, so they changed the name to suit the language, but this theory was to proved wrong as well.
Fanta vs Royal – Hungry Jacks vs Burger King
I then looked at the story of Hungry Jacks in Australia and thought that perhaps someone already owned the trade mark for Fanta, but again I was wrong..
To read more about Hungry Jacks vs Burger King click here.
#FantaQuest
Now it may seem like I have become a bit obsessive here, but that is because I am part of a glorious group known as #FantaQuest where we search out the best Fanta flavours we can find in the world. Fun fact I found Fanta TONIC WATER in Belize.
We will never be Royal!
It turns out that Royal has a somewhat similar story to Jolibee in that it was not a clone of an American drink, but already existed in the Philippines and was extremely popular.
To read more about Jollibee click here.
Royal Tru Orange, AKA Royal was originally made by the San Minguel Brewery and remained a hit over the coming century. In 2007 Coca-Cola purchased the brand and then basically turned it into Fanta.
After all if you cant beat em, simply buy them and destroy them, it is the Coca-Cola way!
