# The 11 Biggest Food Flops Of All Time



## GAP (15 Jan 2012)

The 11 Biggest Food Flops Of All Time
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1. Heinz EZ Squirt Ketchup
In October 2000, the folks at H.J. Heinz Company took ketchup where it's never gone before: green. The artificially-colored concoction came in a new EZ Squirt bottle designed with a narrow nozzle, ideal for drawing smiley faces on cheeseburgers.

In the first three years, the Heinz company sold more than 25 million bottles of EZ Squirt ketchup and rolled out three more funky hues, including purple, blue, and Mystery Color, which could be either purple, orange, or teal. Although the kid-friendly condiment was initially a success, consumers eventually lost interest and the product was discontinued in 2006. 

Fatal flaw: It turns out parents aren't all that crazy about French fries slathered in spinach-colored goo. Either that, or too many people got turned off when they mixed the colors together and realized they got brown.

2. New Coke

April 23, 1985, will be remembered as a dark day in soft-drink history. That spring, Coca-Cola introduced "New Coke," representing the first formula change in 99 years. Consumers didn't take the news well. Soda enthusiasts across the nation responded with thousands of angry phones calls, letters, and protests. They wanted their beloved cola beverage back!

Fatal flaw: By July, Coca-Cola announced that "old" Coke would be returning to store shelves. The company learned its lesson: don't mess with a classic.  

3. Bottled Water For Pets

In 1994, the Original Pet Drink Company based in Florida introduced liters of Thirsty Dog! and Thirsty Cat!, bottled water for pets. The carbonated, vitamin-enriched beverage came in two lip-smacking flavors: Crispy Beef for dogs and Tangy Fish for cats. The drink was even approved by the FDA for human consumption (in case owners had a sudden hankering for liquid sirloin).

Fatal flaw: Not surprisingly, Thirsty Dog! and Thirsty Cat! were short-lived. Apparently, product makers forgot that animals who are comfortable licking their own butts don't really care where their water comes from.

4. Gerber Singles

Let's be honest, anyone who's wandered through the baby food aisle and noticed the mashed bananas has thought about tossing it in the shopping cart. 

In 1974, baby-food manufacturer Gerber attempted to make this possible sans the shame when it released Gerber Singles, small servings of food sold in little glass jars similar to those used for baby food but marketed toward college students and single adults. 

Fatal Flaw: As it turned out, pre-portioned packages of meat mush didn't exactly scream "cool" to young singles. The epic flop is one of the most frequently referenced brand failures of all time

5. Pepsi A.M.

In the late 1980s, the Pepsi-Coca-Cola rivalry was as strong as ever. In an aggressive move to win over the elusive group of morning soft-drink guzzlers, the Pepsi-Cola Company introduced Pepsi A.M., a carbonated beverage with "all the sugar and twice the caffeine" of regular Pepsi.

Fatal flaw: Pepsi A.M. fizzled out within one year. There was no specific demand for a breakfast cola-drink, and the name proved limiting to product sales.  Plus, it didn't taste that good steaming hot. 

6. Kellogg's Breakfast Mates

Just like peanut butter and jelly or spaghetti and meatballs, cereal and milk were made for each other. So why wouldn't it make sense to sell them together? That was the idea behind Kellogg's Breakfast Mates — small boxes of Kellogg's cereal in a plastic bowl packaged with a 4-oz. serving of milk in an aseptic box (like Parmalat) and a plastic spoon.

In theory, the portable cereal kits were designed to increase convenience and make it easier for kids to fix breakfast themselves (because cereal and milk are a lot of ingredients to remember).

Kellogg's spent $30 million on TV and print ads convincing parents that Breakfast Mates were a tasty and easy solution to the drudgery of the traditional morning meal.

Fatal Flaw: Ultimately, Breakfast Mates failed because it simply wasn't all that convenient for being marketed as a convenience food. Consumers never embraced the idea of aseptically-packaged warm milk, either. Remember, milk tastes best when it's refrigerated, which isn't that easy to do when you're say, driving to work or riding the bus to school.

7. Celery-Flavored JELL-O

We're all for going to the extreme to make sure you get your daily required vegetable servings. But some things are just too unnatural to approve of. 

In the 1960s, the makers of JELL-O introduced JELL-O® Gelatin for Salads, which came in four flavors: Celery, Italian, Mixed Vegetable, and Seasoned Tomato.

Fatal Flaw: Small amounts of JELL-O Cherry is fine when you're sick. Beyond that, we suggest sticking to wiggle-free foods if you're trying to increase your veggie intake.

8. Orbitz Water

In 1997, the Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation broke the beverage boundaries by cross-breeding a lava lamp with a fruit-flavored drink. The result: Orbitz water, "a texturally enhanced alternative water" that had little edible gelatin balls floating in it.

Fatal Flaw: The stuff tasted like cough syrup, looked weird, and we just learned in the last slide why gelatin is inherently unappealing. The product failed within a year of its debut and the name is now better-known as an online travel site. 

9. Four Loko (With Caffeine)

Dubbed "blackout in a can," Four Loko's problem wasn't that it was unpopular — college students loved the malt-based liquor concoction, which combined alcohol, caffeine, taurine, and guarana, and came in eight fruity flavors.

The alcoholic beverage was conceived by three Ohio State students in 2005, but wasn't sold widely in America until about 2007. Over the next couple of years, Four Loko became a popular party drink on college campuses, because afterall, one can had the same effect as about five or six 12-oz. beers and two 8 oz. cups of coffee. Wahoo!

Fatal Flaw: We hear it didn't taste that great to begin with, and o yes – consumed in copious amounts could lead to a night of persistent vomiting, heart failure, and/or sudden death.

10. Reddi-Bacon

Introduced to the market in 1964, Reddi-Bacon was the brainchild of Reddi-wip® the same genuises that brought us whipped cream in an aerosol spray can.

So what was Reddi-Bacon? Kind of what it sounds like — pre-cooked bacon packaged in absorbent paper between sheets of aluminum foil that you could pop in your toaster for breakfast in minutes. Well, unless you're a vegetarian or don't own a toaster, that doesn't sound all that bad.

Fatal Flaw: Bacon has a lot of fat. Solid fat turns to liquid fat when it gets heated. The absorbent paper didn't do such a good job of sopping up all the grease, thus leaking into toasters making a mess and creating a potential fire hazard

11. Lay's WOW Chips

In 1998, Lay's WOW chips, a fat-free, low-calorie version of its greasy, heart attack-inducing cousin the potato chip, hit supermarket shelves to immediate customer fanfare. In its debut year, WOW chips raked nearly $350 million in sales and was named the best-selling new product in the U.S. in 1998, according to a survey by market research group Information Resources Inc.

Fatal Flaw: The chips contained olestra, a chemical that brought unwanted side effects, including stomach cramps and diarrhea. As a result, the FDA required a warning on WOW chips regarding olestra until 2003. WOW chips were later rebranded as "Light." 

Fat-Free? WOW. Just 75 calories per serving? WOW. Unwanted bathroom trips? Uhhh...
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## PMedMoe (15 Jan 2012)

GAP said:
			
		

> 7. Celery-Flavored JELL-O
> 
> We're all for going to the extreme to make sure you get your daily required vegetable servings. But some things are just too unnatural to approve of.
> 
> In the 1960s, the makers of JELL-O introduced JELL-O® Gelatin for Salads, which came in four flavors: Celery, Italian, Mixed Vegetable, and Seasoned Tomato.









Celery is only good stuffed with peanut butter or plain in a Caesar.  Otherwise, it should die a slow death.


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## cupper (15 Jan 2012)

Anyone remember fruit flavored potato chips? There was grape, orange and some other funky flavor.

They weren't in the local corner store long. Died a quick but painful death.


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## AGD (15 Jan 2012)

How about low-carb beer? I dare you to find a Molson Ultra, Labatt Sterling, Sleeman Clear, or a Big Rock Jack Rabbit in any significant quantity on the beer store shelf anymore.


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## krustyrl (15 Jan 2012)

Yes, yes I do.!  Flavours like grape and orange potato chips etc.  I had asked people if they recalled this stuff and most looked at me like I was off my rocker. LoL.!


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## Swingline1984 (15 Jan 2012)

AGD said:
			
		

> How about low-carb beer? I dare you to find...Sleeman Clear...



Sleeman Clear is all my wife will drink (beer wise), our beer fridge is half full of it and I've never had an issue finding it.

I challenge you to find a McDonald's Pizza though


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## medicineman (15 Jan 2012)

cupper said:
			
		

> Anyone remember fruit flavored potato chips? There was grape, orange and some other funky flavor.
> 
> They weren't in the local corner store long. Died a quick but painful death.



I remember those - Hostess maded them - grape, orange and cherry or fruit punch IIRC.  Yuck.

MM

Edited for BIG Freudian slip spelling oopie.


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## Swingline1984 (15 Jan 2012)

medicineman said:
			
		

> I remember those - Hostess maded them - rape, orange and cherry or fruit punch IIRC.  Yuck.
> 
> MM



I'm sooooo glad I never brought any rape chips home.  ;D


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## cupper (15 Jan 2012)

Swingline1984 said:
			
		

> I'm sooooo glad I never brought any rape chips home.  ;D



 :rofl:


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## dapaterson (16 Jan 2012)

Swingline1984 said:
			
		

> I'm sooooo glad I never brought any rape chips home.  ;D



Canola, perhaps?


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## Swingline1984 (16 Jan 2012)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> Canola, perhaps?



Rapeseed eh?  You learn something new everyday.  Good catch.


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## opp550 (16 Jan 2012)

cupper said:
			
		

> Anyone remember fruit flavored potato chips? There was grape, orange and some other funky flavor.
> 
> They weren't in the local corner store long. Died a quick but painful death.



I once went to China, and fruit flavoured chips seem like the mainstream flavour there.


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## Pat in Halifax (16 Jan 2012)

_*"11. Lay's WOW Chips

In 1998, Lay's WOW chips, a fat-free, low-calorie version of its greasy, heart attack-inducing cousin the potato chip, hit supermarket shelves to immediate customer fanfare. In its debut year, WOW chips raked nearly $350 million in sales and was named the best-selling new product in the U.S. in 1998, according to a survey by market research group Information Resources Inc.

Fatal Flaw: The chips contained olestra, a chemical that brought unwanted side effects, including stomach cramps and diarrhea. As a result, the FDA required a warning on WOW chips regarding olestra until 2003. WOW chips were later rebranded as "Light." "

Fat-Free? WOW. Just 75 calories per serving? WOW. Unwanted bathroom trips? Uhhh...*_

I think the actual warning phrase was "...unintentional anal leakage..." (Whatever intentional anal leakage is supposed to be!!!)


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## vonGarvin (16 Jan 2012)

cupper said:
			
		

> Anyone remember fruit flavored potato chips? There was grape, orange and some other funky flavor.
> 
> They weren't in the local corner store long. Died a quick but painful death.



Apparently, some are still around:






And yes, I remember them.   :-X


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## The Bread Guy (16 Jan 2012)

Pat in Halifax said:
			
		

> I think the actual warning phrase was "...unintentional *anal leakage*..." (Whatever intentional anal leakage is supposed to be!!!)


I remember said phrase, too.  Yummo....


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## PMedMoe (16 Jan 2012)

Pat in Halifax said:
			
		

> I think the actual warning phrase was "...unintentional anal leakage..." (Whatever intentional anal leakage is supposed to be!!!)



There's some diet pill out there that has the same warning because it basically absorbs all the fat, some of which is needed for certain.....um....functions.  I recall watching the commercial and thinking "Hey, I'm crapping through the eye of a needle, but I'm skinny!"


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## Gramps (16 Jan 2012)

How about Hedgehog flavoured crisps? I remember these from a number of years ago.


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## medicineman (16 Jan 2012)

Pat in Halifax said:
			
		

> I think the actual warning phrase was "...unintentional anal leakage..." (Whatever intentional anal leakage is supposed to be!!!)



You're a sailor - figure it out  ;D.

MM


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## Retired AF Guy (16 Jan 2012)

Besides the Orbitz Water and New Coke, were any of these products ever sold in Canada? The only one I remember was the New Coke fiasco.


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## vonGarvin (16 Jan 2012)

That ketchup fiasco was sold here.  I recall it in the stores; however, I never purchased any of it.


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## uptheglens (16 Jan 2012)

Oh, I'd have to nominate Crystal Pepsi as a pretty big flop.

Here's a fella drinking an original bottle of Crystal Pepsi from 1993 in 2010.
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/bj/bjtries/26250-brad-tries-crystal-pepsi


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## cupper (16 Jan 2012)

Pat in Halifax said:
			
		

> _*[size=8pt]
> I think the actual warning phrase was "...unintentional anal leakage..." (Whatever intentional anal leakage is supposed to be!!!)
> *_


_*

Maybe it's related to the Urban Dictionary definition of Santorum. ;D*_


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## Solomance (18 Jan 2012)

The Orbitz was sold in Canada. Manufactured here as well I believe. Some interesting flavors and I remember them as being alright to drink.
But I think the novelty of the stuff floating around in your beverage wore off fairly quick. 

Although now we have the bubble tea stuff with tapioca floating around in it. Maybe they were just ahead of their time.


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## beach_bum (18 Jan 2012)

I remember the green ketchup.  Never bought it either.  Yuck!


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## FormerHorseGuard (18 Jan 2012)

When I lived in  the USA, Iowa to be exact, at the local Super Wally  World Store they  sold  slices of peanutbutter and slices of jam packaged like sliced cheese in plastic wrap. For those who wanted to make a peanutbutter and Jam sandwitch without having to open any  jars.  Looked gross ,  never purchased it or even thought about it again till now. There is no Kraft Peanut Butter in the USA


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## cupper (18 Jan 2012)

FormerHorseGuard said:
			
		

> There is no Kraft Peanut Butter in the USA



Closest I've found is Jif. There are a lot of foods that I loved when I was living in Canada that you can't find, or have to go miles to a specialty store and pay primo price for. Or you find an inferior substitute.

Every trip back to Nova Scotia we have 3 things we must have while we are home. Swiss Chalet, Fish and Chips (and Clams for the wife) from John's Lunch in Woodside, and Donairs.

Even things on the MacDonalds menu are different tasting. Sausage is spicier. The BBQ sauce for nuggets is a hickory smoked flavor, and inferior to the Canadian BBQ sauce.


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## The Bread Guy (18 Jan 2012)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> Canola, perhaps?


Short for "Canadian oil, low acid"

Yeah, I'm a food geek


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## Retired AF Guy (20 Jan 2012)

Listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about Burger King Washington D.C. had started  testing home delivery  for their burgers; it will be either flop # 12 or the best thing since sliced bread.


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## GAP (20 Jan 2012)

Oh great...the waddlers can barely get into Burger King for their fix now, let alone not having to move off the couch.....


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## cupper (20 Jan 2012)

Retired AF Guy said:
			
		

> Listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about Burger King Washington D.C. had started  testing home delivery  for their burgers; it will be either flop # 12 or the best thing since sliced bread.



There was a fairly positive review in the Washington Post the other day. And it sounded like th efood was better than if you did drive through.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/having-it-your-way-at-home-taste-testing-burger-king-delivery/2012/01/17/gIQA1Dpx5P_blog.html

The local BK here is supposed to be starting the service next week. May check it out, and put up a review if I do.


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