Orbitz

Forgotten Food & Drinks · 1996

Published

Orbitz was a clear, non-carbonated fruit drink launched by Clearly Canadian in selected markets around Memorial Day 1996. Coloured edible gel spheres remained suspended throughout the bottle, giving the drink its distinctive lava-lamp appearance.

Why It Mattered

Orbitz made texture and visual suspension as important as flavour. The suspended spheres and clear bottle made Orbitz instantly recognisable.

Suspended-Sphere System

- Gellan gum gave the liquid gel-like properties that helped keep the edible spheres suspended. - The suspension effect also depended on the fluid’s non-Newtonian rheology, not simply neutral buoyancy. - Contemporary descriptions identify Orbitz as non-carbonated.

Bottle and Presentation

- Packaging World recorded a custom wide-mouth glass bottle with an aluminium screw cap and clear polypropylene label. - The label included upside-down text intended to make consumers turn the bottle and watch the spheres move. - The selected-market product was sold in a 10-ounce bottle at a suggested US retail price of US$1.29.

Launch and Later Status

- Packaging World documented a selected-market launch around Memorial Day 1996, aimed at teenagers. - A 1998 Society of Rheology abstract gives February 1997 as an alternate broader-introduction date. - Discontinued around 1998

Associated With

Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation of Vancouver, British Columbia - manufacturer or brand

Defining Feature

Clear, non-carbonated fruit drink with coloured edible gel spheres suspended in the liquid

Status

Discontinued - historical product; exact final withdrawal date is not verified

Primary Records

- **DEFY GRAVITY. GET INTO ORBITZ. — Canadian trademark record 0795690** - **Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation Form 20-F** - **Rheology in Daily Life – The New Orbitz Drink**

Image Sources

- **Image 1** - **Image 2** - **Image 3**

Rights Notice

Images are included for historical and archival reference. Rights holders may contact Forgotten Archive through the publishing account to request a credit correction or removal.

Gallery

Three clear glass Orbitz beverage bottles against a black background, arranged with one pink-labeled bottle in front and orange- and green-labeled bottles behind; colorful suspended pellets are visible in the liquid.
Source
Credit

Orbitz packaging and product photograph; photographer unknown; reproduced via r/Discontinued on Reddit.

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

Orbitz displayed its suspended pellets through clear bottles, making the drink's unusual appearance as important as its flavour.

Low-angle close view of an Orbitz bottle against a blue sky, with a white cap, a white Orbitz label, clear liquid, and red and pale yellow spheres inside.
Source
Credit

Atlas Obscura

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

Orbitz’s suspended spheres became the drink’s visual signature, shown here through the transparent bottle against a blue sky.

Front-facing clear Orbitz bottle standing on a reflective surface, with a white cap, pink Orbitz logo, and numerous red spheres suspended in the liquid against a softly blurred gray background.
Source
Credit

Boing Boing

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

A single Orbitz bottle shows how the unusual floating pieces remained visible through the drink and its packaging.