Business & Money • Beverage

Orbitz (drink)

Orbitz was a short-lived Canadian fruit-flavoured beverage sold in the 1990s by The Clearly Food & Beverage Company of Canada, the company behind Clearly Canadian.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Orbitz was a Canadian fruit-flavoured beverage sold in the 1990s by The Clearly Food & Beverage Company of Canada, the company behind Clearly Canadian. It was notable for small floating edible gel beads suspended in the drink, which gave it a lava lamp-like appearance. The product was marketed as a “texturally enhanced alternative beverage” and was discontinued by the late 1990s.

History

Orbitz was introduced in the mid-1990s and reached stores in Canada and the United States. Sources differ slightly on the launch year, but agree that the product had a very short commercial life and was discontinued by the end of the decade.

Product design

The drink was designed to stand out visually, with small edible gel beads floating inside a clear bottle. Its appearance led many observers to compare it to a lava lamp or a novelty science experiment.

Marketing and reception

Orbitz was promoted as a “texturally enhanced alternative beverage,” but its unusual texture and flavour were not widely embraced. Contemporary accounts describe weak consumer acceptance and poor sales as key reasons for its disappearance.

Legacy

Orbitz is now remembered as one of the more unusual soft drinks of the 1990s. Unopened bottles later became novelty collectibles, and the name is now more commonly associated with the travel website than the beverage.

Key facts

Orbitz was a fruit-flavoured drink with suspended edible gel beads.
It was produced by a Canadian company associated with Clearly Canadian.
The drink was marketed with a lava lamp-like visual style and a “texturally enhanced” concept.
It was sold in several flavours, including pineapple banana, cherry coconut, raspberry citrus, vanilla orange, and orange.
Orbitz was discontinued within a few years of launch after poor sales.

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Canadian context

Orbitz was a Canadian beverage brand made by a Canadian company and sold in both Canada and the United States. It is part of Canada’s 1990s soft-drink history, alongside Clearly Canadian.

Frequently asked questions

What was Orbitz (drink)?

Orbitz was a Canadian non-carbonated fruit-flavoured beverage containing floating edible gel beads.

Who made Orbitz?

It was made by The Clearly Food & Beverage Company of Canada, the company associated with Clearly Canadian.

When was Orbitz released?

Sources place its release in the mid-1990s, most commonly 1996 or 1997.

Why was Orbitz discontinued?

It was discontinued after weak sales and limited consumer appeal.

What flavours did Orbitz come in?

Reported flavours included pineapple banana, cherry coconut, raspberry citrus, vanilla orange, and orange.

Is Orbitz still sold today?

No, it was discontinued by the late 1990s, though unopened bottles have later appeared as collectibles.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbitz_(drink)
Supports: Canadian manufacturer, non-carbonated fruit-flavoured beverage, floating edible beads, and discontinuation by early 1999.
SnackHistory — https://www.snackhistory.com/orbitz-drink/
Supports: Introduced in 1996, flavour list, bottle size, Canadian origin, and discontinuation around 1999.
TIME — https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1913612_1913610_1913561,00.html
Supports: Marketing description as a texturally enhanced alternative beverage and consumer reaction.
IUFoST — https://www.iufost.org/iufostold/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/106-Orbitz-Beverages.pdf
Supports: Developed by the Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation of Vancouver and withdrawn after weak sales.
Museum of Failure — https://www.museumoffailure.com/exhibition/orbitz-soda
Supports: Unusual product concept, low sales, and later status as a collector’s item.