The Food That Built America - Season 5

First aired: 2/25/2024 12 episodes

Episodes

1. All American Marinara

Aired: 2/25/2024

Imagine a world where marinara sauce isn't part of the American palate. That was true nearly sixty years ago, when food conglomerate Campbells kickstarts what will become an Italian American food staple.

2. Ice Cream Revolution

Aired: 3/3/2024

A cab driver turned ice cream entrepreneur comes up with the idea to mix name brand candy into high quality ice cream to create new novel flavors. After opening an ice cream shop to share his mix-in creations, his concept skyrockets.

3. Soda Rising: Birth of Pop

Aired: 3/10/2024

In the late 1800s, two pharmacists 1500 miles apart race to create healthy, non-alcoholic beverage options, kickstarting the entire soda industry with their breakout hits: Hires Root Beer and Dr. Pepper.

4. Sunshine in a Glass

Aired: 3/17/2024

A scientist and businessman team up to develop a Vitamin C rich war ration for the troops fighting in World War 2, which unexpectedly leads to the development of a frozen concentrated orange juice that tastes great and allows for the widespread distribution of OJ for the first time in history. Soon after, a fruit salesman develops a process of flash pasteurizing fresh orange juice that turns the fledgling industry on its head. The two companies will go on to battle it out for domination.

5. Let Them Bake Cake

Aired: 3/24/2024

During the mid-20th century, two unlikely characters find themselves in competition to simplify the lives of homemakers across the country by creating a tasty but easy boxed cake-mix; America's sweetheart and the original foodie go head-to-head.

6. Penny Candy Craze

Aired: 3/31/2024

In the early 1900s, an underestimated confectioner creates the first wrapped penny candy--the Tootsie Roll. Meanwhile, an unemployed salesman transforms medicinal hard candy into a fruit flavored, multipack designed purely for fun with Tropical Charms. The two go on to kickstart an entire industry of nationally branded candies and transform the lollipop into a global icon.

7. Champions of Breakfast

Aired: 4/14/2024

Will Kellogg is on top of the cereal industry after beating out post, but now, the king of cereal has met his match with a young flour mill executive; a decades long war for dominance ensues as Kellogg's and General Mills battle it out.

8. Planet Mars

Aired: 4/21/2024

After being kicked out of the family business by his father, Forrest Mars scratches and claws his way back to create a multi-sector global empire, Mars Inc. Today that empire is worth over $47 billion dollars and a family dynasty that is the third wealthiest in America, worth nearly $100 billion.

9. Lunchbox Legends

Aired: 7/7/2024

Lunchtime is one of the most enjoyable meals of every kid's day, but before the 1960s it was just another meal; then, three very different food visionaries take matters into their own hands.

10. The Colonel

Aired: 7/14/2024

Kentucky gas station owner, Harland Sanders, develops a new method for making fried chicken, drawing customers from far and wide.

11. Citrus Soda Stars

Aired: 7/21/2024

A small-time St. Louis soda maker, Charles Leiper Grigg, takes on Coke and Pepsi by introducing a clear, lemon-lime soda he calls 7-Up. At the same time, two brothers in Tennessee, Ali and Barney Hartman, have their own, called Mountain Dew.

12. Burger Empire: The Ray Kroc Story

Aired: 7/28/2024

In the 1950s, middle-aged salesman Ray Kroc is drowning in debt when he's inspired by a roadside burger stand he wants to spread nationwide, McDonald's; he creates the modern model of franchising and ignites a fast-food gold rush.