Orbitz Drink

Orbitz Drink transformed beverages into edible lava lamps in 1997, with edible gel balls suspended in clear fruit-flavored liquid using gellan gum, each sphere having the texture of a small gummy bear. The drink cost $1.50 per bottle at launch but was discontinued within a year because most consumers found floating balls unsettling. This novelty outperformed the average 1990s soda in visual appeal, but its brief lifespan reflects a market unwilling to embrace texture experiments.