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[Gaborn]

1. Coffee-Flavored Jell-O® (Celery, Too!)

In 1918, the makers of Jell-O introduced a new flavor: coffee. Its release was ostensibly based on the logic that, since lots of people like to drink coffee with dessert, they’d be game for combining the two after-dinner treats. Not the case.

The company soon realized if anyone wants dessert coffee, they’re going to have a cup of it. In fact, if anyone wants coffee at all, they’re going to have a cup of it. Not surprisingly, this realization came about the time they yanked the product off the shelves. Coffee wasn’t Jell-O’s only misstep: Cola-flavored Jell-O was sold for about a year starting in 1942, and for a brief while, the clear, wiggly dessert was sold in celery and chocolate flavors, too.

2. Reddi-Bacon

Any company smart enough to bless mankind with sprayable whipped cream—the sort that promotes direct-to-mouth feeding—has got to know a thing or two about immediate gratification. But sadly, the makers of Reddi-wip® were unable to meld their keen understanding of human laziness with one of processed meat. They figured, if you’re cooking breakfast in the morning and you’ve got a hankering for bacon, why dirty up a pan you’ll only have to clean later? The solution: foil-wrapped Reddi-Bacon you could pop into your toaster for piping-hot pork in minutes.

While it seemed perfect for the busy 1970s household, the absorbent pad designed to soak up the dripping grease tended to leak, creating not only a fire hazard, but also a messy (if not totally ruined) toaster. Ultimately, the product lasted about as long as it took to cook; the company scrapped it before it went to market nationwide.

3. Cereal Mates

Sometimes, new products fail because they’re simply bad ideas (ahem, New Coke). Other times, it’s because they’re just impossible to market. Such was the case for Cereal Mates. Beating the dead horse of über-convenient breakfast foods, Kellogg’s introduced Cereal Mates in 1997. The idea was simple: a small box of cereal, a container of specially packaged milk (no refrigeration required!), and a plastic spoon.

It was the perfect A.M. answer for the person on the go … who enjoys warm milk on cereal. Trying to patch up one mistake with another, Kellogg’s then moved the product to the dairy section, where no sane person looks for cereal. On top of all that was the price. At about $1.50 for only four ounces of the stuff, Cereal Mates was deemed too expensive for most consumers. After two years, Kellogg’s pulled it from the shelves.

4. Flower-Flavored PEZ®

No, that’s not a typo. Although it would be equally disgusting, we’re talking about flower, not flour. Introduced in the late 1960s, flower-flavored PEZ was designed to appeal to the hippie generation—complete with a groovy, psychedelic dispenser. But even in the decade of free love, no love could be found for the flavor power of flower. Floral scents make for great perfume, but nobody eats perfume, and apparently, there’s a reason why. The flower version flopped, and became the next addition to PEZ’s long and disturbing list of flavor failures. Since its introduction in 1927, the company has also sold coffee, licorice, eucalyptus, menthol, and cinnamon flavors.

5. “I Hate Peas!”

For as long as children have been shoving Brussels sprouts under mashed potatoes and slipping green beans to the dog, parents have been hunting desperately for a way to end the vegetable discrimination. Finally, in the 1970s, American Kitchen Foods, Inc. came to the rescue (or at least tried) with the release of “I Hate Peas!” Since kids love French fries so much, the company decided that disguising peas in a fry-shaped form was a sure-fire way to trick tots into getting their vitamins. Not a chance. Children all over America saw through the ruse. After all, a pea is a pea is a pea, and the name of the product was more than apropos, no matter what it looked like. There were other thinly disguised vegetables in the company’s “I Hate” line, but kids hated those, too.

6. The Chicken Dinner Candy Bar

Fortunately for gastrointestinal tracts worldwide, this candy bar didn’t actually include chicken in its list of ingredients. And equally lucky for Sperry Candy Co., which introduced the “treat” in the 1920s, consumers actually figured this one out on their own. The company introduced the chocolate-and-peanut butter bar right before the onset of the Depression, hoping the name would give consumers the feeling they were about to have a big home-cooked meal at Grandma’s house—hence the juicy roast chicken on the advertisements. Strangely, the gimmick worked, even well after the economy recovered, and Chicken Dinner candy bars were available until the 1960s. Does this mean it qualifies as a true marketplace “flop”? No. Did we put it on the list anyway because it sounds like it really should have been? Absolutely.

7. Heublein’s Wine & Dine

In the mid-1970s, Heublein introduced Wine & Dine, an upscale, easy-to-make dinner that included a small bottle of vino. How refined. How decadent. How confusing. Consumers knew Heublein for their liquor and wines, so how were they supposed to know the wine included in Wine & Dine was an ingredient for the pasta sauce? Hasty consumers who didn’t read the directions closely ended up pouring the contents of the bottle into a nice glass and getting a less-than-pleasant mouthful of salted wine.

8. Funky Fries

In 2002, hoping to follow the success of Heinz’s new “kiddie” ketchup versions (in green and purple), Ore-Ida introduced Funky Fries: chocolate-flavored, cinnamon-flavored, and blue-colored French fries. An awful lot of money was sunk into the product, but after a year of marketing, consumers still found the idea funky—in the bad way. Funky Fries were pulled off the shelves in 2003, and images of blue fries with green ketchup were once again relegated to the world of Warhol-esque pop art..

9. Pepsi A.M.

Creating a super-caffeinated soda worked well for the makers of Red Bull, but not for the folks at Pepsi. With 25 percent more caffeine than a cup of Joe, PepsiCo introduced the cola-flavored product in 1989, only to discover that most people just couldn’t bring themselves to drink soda with their cornflakes. For those who wanted a Pepsi in the morning, regular Pepsi did just fine, thankyouverymuch. Pepsi A.M., like the coffee-flavored Pepsi Kona before it, was scrapped after just a few months.

10. Gerber Singles

At some point in time, almost every adult has tasted baby food and discovered that the stuff isn’t half bad. But that doesn’t mean people want to make a meal out of it. For some reason, Gerber had to learn that lesson the hard way. In 1974, the company released Gerber Singles, small servings of food meant for single adults, packaged in jars that were almost identical to those used for baby food. It didn’t take long for Gerber execs to figure out that most consumers, unless they were less than a year old, couldn’t get used to eating a pureed meal out of a jar—particularly one depressingly labeled “Singles.” Baby food for grown-ups was pulled from the marketplace shortly after its birth.

From Here

 

[spiderman123]

holy shit i am surprised baconnaise isn`t on that list

 

[Shiggie]

holy shit i am surprised baconnaise isn`t on that list

Because its damn good.

 

[Snuggles]

Haha, I always love this stuff. All of them look revolting. Coffee/Celery jello sounds like food you'd use to torture people. What a bad idea, the flower Pez sounds kinda good though.

Speaking of disgusting foods, I tried Ranch and Bacon Pringles last night and they were the flavor of vomit. One of the worst things I've tasted in a long time, I had 3 of them and tossed it out and I fuckin love Pringles.

 

[equil]

Do they still make green ketchup?

 

[Cooter]

The Funky Fries sound good to me.

Just go ahead and add these as #11

 

[Barrett2]

Shit! Pepsi AM?! I never knew about that. Probably because I was 9 in 1989... Bring that shit back!

 

[Dresden]

Cola jello doesn't sound too bad. Sounds like one of those Haribo cola gummies.

 

[Tobor]

Cola jello doesn't sound too bad. Sounds like one of those Haribo cola gummies.

Coffee is interesting as well. Might have just been ahead of their time. Bring them back, Jello!

 

[Snuggles]

On the flip side, best food item that flopped: Pepsi Blue

I loved this stuff, drank a bottle almost everyday. It's demise was one of the great American tragedies.

 

[Community Forum]

OK people this thread is not about foods you think are gross, it is about foods that flopped.

Cheeseburger Doritos didn't flop, in fact this is the 2nd time they have offered them. And that bacon-flavoring company does very well, thank you very much.

 

[Tobor]

OK people this thread is not about foods you think are gross, it is about foods that flopped.

Cheeseburger Doritos didn't flop, in fact this is the 2nd time they have offered them. And that bacon-flavoring company does very well, thank you very much.

That blog ruined their own premise by including a candy bar that was on the market for 40 years.

 

[Cooter]

OK people this thread is not about foods you think are gross, it is about foods that flopped.

Cheeseburger Doritos didn't flop, in fact this is the 2nd time they have offered them. And that bacon-flavoring company does very well, thank you very much.

Yes, sir. Any other rules we need to know about?

 

[spiderman123]

i would have gone for that chicken dinner candy bar tbh.

 

[Zapages]

I hope this fails:


Worst thing I have ever tried. :|

 

[Tobor]

I hope this fails:


Worst thing I have ever tried. :|

Hmm, cheddar and horseradish? That sounds great!

 

[Maklershed]

 

[Community Forum]

That sounds delicious, and I loved Coca-Cola Blak too.

Here is my contribution, as I bought a couple of these back in the day...

 

[Shiggie]

Ive had this recently. Not made by Pepsi obviously.
Its fucking good btw.

 

[Azure Dream]

On the flip side, best food item that flopped: Pepsi Blue

I loved this stuff, drank a bottle almost everyday. It's demise was one of the great American tragedies.

A bottle of this stuff would last in the fridge for a ridiculously long time. I couldn't drink cans of it, but I liked taking a few sips every now and then.

I was going to bring up the "Doritos X-13D Flavor Experiment", but apparently that's what became the Cheeseburger ones mentioned above. There was the "mystery flavor" soon after, I heard that was ghastly. Wiki says the flavor turned out to be Mountain Dew?

 

[Metroid Killer]

Here is my contribution, as I bought a couple of these back in the day...

I was really glad they flopped. Tasted like shit.

 

[agrajag]

I was really glad they flopped. Tasted like shit.

yeah, that shit was straight up offensive

 

[rainking187]

With 25 percent more caffeine than a cup of Joe, PepsiCo introduced the cola-flavored product in 1989, only to discover that most people just couldn’t bring themselves to drink soda with their cornflakes.

Pssh, what else are you supposed to drink in the morning, milk? Yeah right.

 

[themadcowtipper]

25% more caffeine then coffee, sounds like Pepsi , was ahead of it's time, and needs to bring it back and get on the energy drink craz

 

[Stumpokapow]

Here is my contribution, as I bought a couple of these back in the day...

I have an awesome Orbitz story.

The building next to my high school was a condemned former junior high. All of the doors were closed and boarded up, the place was covered in graffiti, and the building was scheduled to be torn down in pretty short order. I think they finally tore it down around 2004-2005 or something.

Anyway, one day I'm walking home from high school with a couple of friends, and when I look over to the building, one of the doors is open. This wasn't super uncommon, kids broke into the building pretty frequently to drink or smoke or whatever. What was uncommon was the enormous trail of candy leading out of the building.

Enticed by this, we went into the building, which was pretty much pitch black besides the rays of line shining in through the occasional broken window. We went down a hall and into this sort of gym or auditorium style room. Maybe a cafeteria, actually? Off to the side of this room was a huge storage room.

Inside the storage room was enough candy and goodies to run a candy store. It was amazing. Floor to ceiling, chocolate bars, chips, candies, everything. There was a VAT of gobstoppers. We (the collective we; I'm not necessarily admitting that I took part) were filling up grocery bags full, how could you not? Oh man, we had months and months worth of candies stuffed into our lockers.

Off to one side of the storage room was a floor to ceiling stack of Orbitz. I would say there was maybe 50 cases of 12 or 24 bottles. Wikipedia says that the stuff was discontinued in 1997, so this was maybe 3 or 4 years later? I'd never seen so much Orbitz, it was probably the sum total of all the unsold Orbitz in the province from all those years ago.

We ended up moving on and a few days later the door was boarded up again and I never heard about the candy paradise from then on. A few weeks later, a guy I know admits to having pilfered a few cases of Orbitz from the room. He was asking everyone--and I mean EVERYONE--if they wanted a bottle or a case of the stuff. No takers. None. People wouldn't even drink it if they were paid to do so.

I'd say he still has the Orbitz in his basement somewhere.

 

[Snuggles]

Haha, nice story. Halfway through I was worried that you and your friends were being lured by some genius pedophile, though, good to hear it had a happy ending.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

The Funky Fries sound good to me.

Just go ahead and add these as #11

That looks awesome. What kind of nazi rapist doesn't like cheeseburgers?

On the flip side, best food item that flopped: Pepsi Blue

Yes! It was so good.

Japan had this for a short time, it's the most messed up drink idea I've ever seen:

I will go to my grave regretting not buying any when I saw it. It was gone the next week.

 

[Dresden]

T

Japan had this for a short time, it's the most messed up drink idea I've ever seen:

Looks good.

 

[Snuggles]

That looks awesome. What kind of nazi rapist doesn't like cheeseburgers?

Cheeseburgers are great but I can't say the same thing about cheap cheeseburger flavored flavoring. I tried that flavor of Doritos and it was one of the worst decisions of my life.

 

[Maklershed]

Yeah those Cheeseburger Dorritos taste more like weird chemicals and pickles than they do cheeseburger.

 

[elrechazado]

Haha, nice story. Halfway through I was worried that you and your friends were being lured by some genius pedophile, though, good to hear it had a happy ending.

Hopefully not, if it involved a pedophile.

 

[Gouken]

and green ketchup looked gross when mixed with fries.

edit: yuck...

 

[MIMIC]

On the flip side, best food item that flopped: Pepsi Blue

I loved this stuff, drank a bottle almost everyday. It's demise was one of the great American tragedies.

I used get one from the corner store every day after school

 

[Mik2121]

Looks good.

It was fucking disgusting and I only know one single person that liked it (and he's weird).

 

[themadcowtipper]

Cocaine Energy Drink, soon to make this list...

Arch Deluxe Son..

 

[cool_trainer]

On the flip side, best food item that flopped: Pepsi Blue

I loved this stuff, drank a bottle almost everyday. It's demise was one of the great American tragedies.

I remember getting these back in middle school, back when I had chips and soda for lunch. I even had a shirt the school was giving out that had the Pepsi Blue logo on it.

 

[Inferno313]

Oh dang! I ate funky fries as a kid!

 

[StoOgE]

Were it not for fucking Canadians this would have been a flop.

 

[mollipen]

I have an awesome Orbitz story.

*snip*

This sounds like one of those stories where you're somewhere, you find a shop you've never seen before, you buy some crazy obscure thing from it, and then when you try to return, the shop isn't there and in fact has never existed.

 

[themadcowtipper]

Were it not for fucking Canadians this would have been a flop.

Pretty popular everywhere but the US, I believe.

 

[Dresden]

Ketchup flavor makes sense.

 

[Threi]

...

i did not just see ketchup chips getting dissed in this thread

 

[Snuggles]

...

i did not just see ketchup chips getting dissed in this thread

They're actually unexpectedly good. I've had the official Heinz brand and it was tasty. Ketchup seems to be one of the few flavors that can be accurately replicated with artificial flavoring. Plus, it' ketchup and potatoes, a natural combination.

 

[bggrthnjsus]

holy crap gerber singles sound like the funniest food ever i wish i had some to eat alone in the dark illuminated only by the glow of my computer screen

 

[Wads]

I love threads/articles like these! Never really ever try these gimmick foods but it always interesting looking back.

 

[StoOgE]

...

i did not just see ketchup chips getting dissed in this thread

You did.

I went to Toronto and ate these things and immediately judged an entire country based on them.

 

[themadcowtipper]

Obviously Gerber Singles was not advertised to the right crowd, Robocop would be all over that shit.

 

[StoOgE]

Obviously Gerber Singles was not advertised to the right crowd, Robocop would be all over that shit.

actually for today's morbidly obese babies they could be perfect.

Gerber: more baby to love

 

[Shanadeus]

Green and blue ketchup is fucking awesome.
Fuck the nay sayers!

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

I haven't had ketchup-flavored chips, but regular potato chips dipped in actual ketchup can be pretty good if you have no other dips to use.