In 1996, beverage maker Clearly Canadian introduced Orbitz, a clear soft drink filled with brightly colored edible spheres suspended throughout the bottle. The unusual appearance made it look more like a science experiment than a soda, and the company leaned into the comparison by marketing it as a drinkable lava lamp.
The floating beads were held in place using gellan gum, a food ingredient that forms a gel-like structure capable of suspending small particles in liquid. Orbitz came in several fruit-flavored combinations, but many people found the experience of chewing gelatinous balls while drinking soda more strange than satisfying. While the product attracted plenty of attention, the initial curiosity faded, and repeat sales never caught on.
Orbitz disappeared from store shelves after less than two years. Clearly Canadian later faced broader financial struggles and underwent restructuring, although the company's challenges extended beyond a single drink. Today, unopened bottles of Orbitz are prized by collectors.
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