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Nationally, sugary sodas are making a comeback. CNN reported that, despite being in decline for the past two decades, more Americans were drinking soda than ever before. Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper remain among the favorites, even among the young generation. This marks a huge switch-up in public opinion, which ostensibly was opposed to unhealthy soft drinks. However, there are some sugary drinks that Gen Z and Gen Alpha will unfortunately never get to try — and honestly, considering this list, we think that might be for the best.
Look — everyone’s got that one drink from childhood they’ll never forget. After all, nothing tastes better than nostalgia. While kids these days get to enjoy yummy prebiotic sodas (which are suddenly everywhere, for some reason), some sugary drinks were taken off shelves before they ever got a taste. Whether or not that’s for better or for worse is up to you. Ready to take a walk down memory lane?
Orbitz
No, it’s not a lava lamp; it’s Orbitz. Concocted in 1996, it had colorful balls of gelatin floating around inside each bottle. However, this drink wasn’t long-lasting. It was discontinued in 1998, but it had a lasting impression on ’90s kids. The drink came in a few different flavors, including raspberry citrus, vanilla orange, and black currant berry, all of them unappetizing. Kids nowadays aren’t missing much aside from the novelty.
Fruitopia
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A fruity, colorful drink that was invented in the ’90s, Fruitopia was released by the Coca-Cola company as an “alternative beverage,” according to the New York Times. After seeing Snapple’s success, Coca-Cola wanted a piece of the pie. It marketed Fruitopia as healthier than your average soda (even though it contained up to 31 grams of sugar). However, Snapple won that war. Fruitopia was discontinued in the U.S. back in 2003.
Surge
Like Fruitopia, Surge was made by Coca-Cola, introduced in the ’90s, and discontinued in 2003. However, this citrus-flavored, discontinued soda actually came back. It was reintroduced on Amazon in 2014, though this exclusivity prevented it from reaching its former heights. It’s probably not that well-known among kids, unless their parents are big fans.
Squeezit
This one was on shelves a little earlier than the others, brought to stores in 1985. Made by General Mills, it came in a squeezable bottle, making it the only drink of its kind. Each flavor was sweet and fruity, with a corresponding character on the bottle. It was discontinued in 2001. A comeback is unlikely.
Hubba Bubba soda
This vintage bubblegum soda never blew up. Information on the soda is scarce — probably because the chewing gum company wants people to forget it ever existed — but people online generally claim it was introduced in the 1980s. Hubba Bubba soda apparently tasted like pure sugar. Some internet users claim it was way too sweet. Kids nowadays are probably lucky that it’s not around anymore.