Orbitz: a drink with floating jelly balls that broke the machines that made it

Orbitz was a non-carbonated fruit-flavoured soft drink launched in 1996 by Clearly Food & Beverage, the Canadian company behind Clearly Canadian. What made it remarkable was what was inside: dozens of small, floating, edible jelly beads suspended in a clear liquid. The beads were kept in suspension by gellan gum, a stabiliser that created a very weak yield stress — just enough to keep the balls floating rather than sinking or rising.

The drink was marketed as a 'texturally enhanced alternative beverage.' Consumers compared it to a potable lava lamp. It generated substantial curiosity and media attention. Time magazine later listed it among the 'Top 10 Bad Beverage Ideas.' But for all the novelty, Orbitz had a fatal flaw: the proprietary equipment that manufactured the floating beads was highly specialised and fragile.

When that equipment broke down, the company could not repair or replace it. Production stopped and Orbitz was discontinued in early 1999, after barely three years on the market. The trademark lapsed and is no longer owned by the company. Unopened bottles have since become collector's items, selling online for $30–$50.