Vita Cola Original

Lemon-herb cola · Vita Cola · Soft drinks · East Germany

10/10must-try

Why it's worth it

Introduced in 1957 as East Germany's answer to Coca-Cola, Vita Cola was pushed off the shelves after reunification and relaunched in 1994, and today it outsells Coke in Thuringia. Its citrus-and-herb recipe tastes clearly different from any cola on Czech shelves, which makes a bottle one of the most distinctly German (and East German) things a traveler can grab.

Taste

Cola with a strong lemon-citrus tang, herbal and vanilla notes; noticeably less sweet than Coca-Cola with a slightly thicker body

Score breakdown

Can't get it at home4/4

Review evidence3/3

Local icon status2/2

Everyday availability1/1

Nutrition

Nutri-Score EBad nutritional quality

Nutritional values per 100 ml

Energy value153 kJ · 36 kcal

Fats0 gincluding saturated fatty acids0 g

Carbohydrates8.9 gincluding sugars8.8 g

Protein0 g

Salt0 g

Source: Open Food Facts label data (may lag pack reformulations).

Where & what you'll pay

Edeka

Rewe

Kaufland

Netto€EAN 4013595644173

If you know Czech shelves

Kofola is the cultural cousin (a socialist-era cola alternative), but Vita Cola's lemon-herb profile is its own thing

Sources

“cola-like with a strong note of lemon and fruit flavoring, and is noticeably less sweet than Afri-Cola, Coca-Cola or Pepsi”
en.wikipedia.org (reference)
“Brauselimonade mit Frucht- und Kraeutergeschmack”
www.dpma.de (reference)

Curated 2026-07-06. Image: Open Food Facts contributors, CC-BY-SA.