TV SERIES • VIDBOX
The Food That Built America
The fascinating stories of the families behind the food that built America, those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to America's heart through its stomach, those who invented new technologies and helped win wars.
This title is imported from a metadata catalog. CineSrc playback has not yet been confirmed.
EPISODE GUIDE
Seasons & Episodes
Choose a season, then open an episode for its own details and watch page.
▶S1 E1
Lines in the SandAug 11, 2019 · 85 minIn the wake of the Civil War, a revolution takes place on the backs of visionary entrepreneurs of industry like Heinz, Kellogg and Post;…Episode details →
▶S1 E2
Best Served ColdAug 12, 2019 · 85 minAt the dawn of the 20th Century, a new breed of innovator rises up to expand American industry and push the limits of new…Episode details →
▶S1 E3
The Spoils of WarAug 13, 2019 · 85 minAs the Great Depression hits, the titans of food push the envelope of innovation to feed a hungry nation. Then WWII sees competing industrial…Episode details →
▶S2 E1
Pizza WarsFeb 9, 2021 · 43 minIn the 1950s, two brothers from Wichita, Kan., aim to build their restaurant, Pizza Hut, by introducing America to Italian dish-pizza. Americans soon fall…Episode details →
▶S2 E2
The Chocolate RushFeb 14, 2021 · 43 minIn 1919, Milton Hershey is king of the chocolate, but everything changes when sugar prices drop in the new post-WWI era. Competitors spring up,…Episode details →
▶S2 E3
The Kings of BurgersFeb 21, 2021 · 43 minIn the 1950s, Ray Kroc franchises McDonald's nationwide, but right behind Kroc, a wave of other entrepreneurs try to cash in on the fast-food…Episode details →
▶S2 E4
American CheeseFeb 28, 2021 · 43 minAt the turn of the 20th century, James Kraft challenges centuries of cheese-making tradition and forever alters the dairy industry with his new cheese…Episode details →
▶S2 E5
Cola WarsMar 7, 2021 · 43 minIn the 1970s, one major cola brand launches a blind taste test marketing plan that takes direct aim at their biggest competitor. As a…Episode details →
▶S2 E6
Chip DynastiesMar 14, 2021 · 43 minHerman Lay takes regional and small-time chips business to a national scale with his cutting-edge sales techniques and world-changing packaging technology, while a rival…Episode details →
▶S2 E7
Cookie WarsMar 21, 2021 · 43 minA business partnership gone wrong leads Adolphus Green to create one of the most iconic cookie and cracker companies in history, and revolutionize packaging.Episode details →
▶S2 E8
Soup WarsMar 28, 2021 · 43 minThe fascinating stories of the families behind the food that built America, those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to…Episode details →
▶S2 E9
Godfathers of Fast FoodApr 4, 2021 · 43 minA short order chef invents the hamburger bun and engineers a new way of making a burger faster than ever before; Nathan Handwerker invests…Episode details →
▶S2 E10
The TV DinnerApr 11, 2021 · 43 minGilbert Swanson inherits his father's frozen turkey company and partners with a food chemist to innovate a revolutionary dinner that Americans can heat up…Episode details →
▶S2 E11
Ice Cream EmpiresApr 18, 2021 · 43 minA young boy accidentally discovers a frozen treat on a stick, and grows up to bring an endearing classic to the world. Plus, a…Episode details →
▶S2 E12
A Game of ChickenMay 31, 2021 · 43 minIn the 1970's, Ray Kroc is far ahead of the competition. But when a burger chain claiming to be king poaches his third-highest ranking…Episode details →
▶S2 E13
When the Chips Are DownJun 6, 2021 · 43 minAs C.E. Doolin and Herman Lay are out to prove the potential of the chips business in the 1950's, their success inspires one of…Episode details →
▶S2 E14
The Rise of a RivalJun 13, 2021 · 43 minWhen candy company president Charles Guth gets shafted by a Cola salesman, he decides to buy a bankrupt rival company and go to war…Episode details →
▶S2 E15
Gum SlingersJun 20, 2021 · 43 minWilliam Wrigley stumbles upon a new product that will kickstart a revolution across industries, but not before sparking a life-long rivalry.Episode details →
▶S2 E16
Breakfast BaronsJun 27, 2021 · 43 minDr. John Kellogg and his brother start a revolution in breakfast, while rival C.W. Post takes direct aim at an empire of his own.…Episode details →
▶S3 E1
Submarine WarfareFeb 27, 2022 · 43 minHigh School friends see an alternative to fast food with the "submarine" sandwich. But they are quickly met with the fierce competition of a…Episode details →
▶S3 E2
A Cold OneMar 6, 2022 · 43 minIn the late 1800s, German immigrants Joseph Schlitz and Captain Frederick Pabst find themselves in a battle for beer dominance. In their fight for…Episode details →
▶S3 E3
Do or DonutMar 13, 2022 · 43 minWhen a commercial caterer realizes his two best selling items are donuts and coffee, he joins forces with his brother-in-law to create a revolutionary…Episode details →
▶S3 E4
A Dish Best Served... SoftMar 20, 2022 · 43 minWhen his ice cream truck breaks down, Tom Carvel discovers that half-melted ice cream is a surefire hit with customers.Episode details →
▶S3 E5
The Best Thing Since...Mar 27, 2022 · 43 minIn a quest to dominate the growing commercial bread industry, Lee Marshall bets on a new kind of white loaf, unwittingly inspiring a homemaker…Episode details →
▶S3 E6
Cookie FortunesApr 3, 2022 · 43 minHollywood agent Wally Amos transforms his professional life when he decides to make and sell his own gourmet chocolate chip cookies, and opens America's…Episode details →
▶S3 E7
The Beef is OnApr 10, 2022 · 43 minWhen Col. Sanders sells his company to investors in 1964, the new owners identify a rising star within the organization: Dave Thomas.Episode details →
▶S3 E8
Pop StarsApr 17, 2022 · 43 minSmall town farmer Orville Redenbacher has a lifelong dream of creating the perfect popcorn kernel, leading to the first significant development of popcorn in…Episode details →
▶S3 E9
Beyond the BurgerApr 24, 2022 · 43 minRestaurateur Glen Bell works to create a burger alternative for the fast-food market and after several setbacks goes on to help introduce the taco…Episode details →
▶S3 E10
Chain ReactionMay 1, 2022 · 43 minFormer wrestler Rocky Aoki and a perfume salesman become the unlikely fathers of a casual dining revolution when they open different establishments in the…Episode details →
▶S3 E11
Let Them Eat Snack CakesMay 8, 2022Martha Entenmann takes the reins of her late husband's baking company and grows it into a national powerhouse; a married couple bankrupt one bakery,…Episode details →
▶S3 E12
Pasta PartyMay 15, 2022 · 43 minHector and Mario Boiardi open an Italian restaurant in Cleveland in 1924 and soon introduce Italian food to Americans; the brothers eventually find themselves…Episode details →
▶S4 E1
Breakfast That PopsFeb 19, 2023 · 43 minTwo heavy-hitting cereal rivals duke it out for breakfast dominance; competition heats up when an idea is stolen; the ensuing battle transforms the breakfast…Episode details →
▶S4 E2
Holiday TreatsFeb 26, 2023 · 43 minThe top selling candy days of the year revolve around Easter, Valentine's Day and Halloween. And it all started with a few bold pioneers.Episode details →
▶S4 E3
Flight of the Buffalo WingMar 5, 2023 · 43 minBefore chicken wings were America's favorite Sunday football snack, they were considered an undesirable cut of meat. Until two restaurateurs in Buffalo, New York,…Episode details →
▶S4 E4
Candy RevolutionMar 12, 2023 · 43 minA cereal executive's bold idea to finance the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" movie will kick-off a candy revolution that produces some of…Episode details →
▶S4 E5
Clash of the CoffeeMar 19, 2023 · 43 minCoffee's quality and popularity wane by the 1960s, until a handful of visionaries turn the industry on its head. First, three college friends create…Episode details →
▶S4 E6
The Chicken CoupMar 26, 2023 · 43 minA devout Georgia diner owner stumbles into the chicken game when he develops a unique fried chicken sandwich with a batch of cast-off filets.…Episode details →
▶S4 E7
When Food Freezes OverApr 2, 2023Four intrepid food entrepreneurs race to harness emerging technologies like the home freezer and microwave, to bring revolutionary frozen snack icons to a waiting…Episode details →
▶S4 E8
Thanksgiving DinnerApr 9, 2023A look at some staples of Thanksgiving dinner that weren't around until a few brands used technological advances to reinvent turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce,…Episode details →
▶S4 E9
Peanut Butter BattleApr 16, 2023 · 42 minWhen an entrepreneur creates shelf-stable peanut butter out of his garage, it leads to the birth of an iconic sandwich; as competition heats up…Episode details →
▶S4 E10
American SpiritsApr 23, 2023 · 42 minTwo entrepreneurs rise from the ashes of Prohibition by staking everything on two liquors -- a bitter, bottom-shelf whisky, and a flavorless foreign moonshine…Episode details →
▶S4 E11
Where There's SmokeJun 11, 2023 · 43 minA century ago, most backyard grilling essentials were not yet invented; Henry Ford, a tinkerer named Kingsford, and a passionate butcher created recognizable summer…Episode details →
▶S4 E12
Thirst QuenchersJun 18, 2023Before juice was everywhere, these innovators used brilliant ingenuity to create the most nostalgic drink products and thirst quenchers of the last century, leading…Episode details →
▶S4 E13
Supermarket SweepJun 25, 2023At the turn of the 20th century, Bernard Kroger and another upstart grocer come up with genius innovations that help invent the modern supermarket.Episode details →
▶S4 E14
Bring Home the BaconJul 9, 2023A young upstart named Oscar® Mayer creates one of the most iconic meat brands on the planet; pioneer Jay Hormel invents a meat product…Episode details →
▶S4 E15
Dog Eat DogJul 16, 2023At a time when dog food is a rarity and cat food is almost nonexistent, it will take visionary innovators to invent the first…Episode details →
▶S4 E16
Beer RunJul 23, 2023At a time when U.S. beer is dominated by the same lager style, one Milwaukee company experiments with something new.Episode details →
▶S5 E1
All American MarinaraFeb 25, 2024 · 42 minImagine a world where marinara sauce isn't part of the American palate. That was true nearly sixty years ago, when food conglomerate Campbells kickstarts…Episode details →
▶S5 E2
Ice Cream RevolutionMar 3, 2024 · 42 minA cab driver turned ice cream entrepreneur comes up with the idea to mix name brand candy into high quality ice cream to create…Episode details →
▶S5 E3
Soda Rising: Birth of PopMar 10, 2024 · 42 minIn the late 1800s, two pharmacists 1500 miles apart race to create healthy, non-alcoholic beverage options, kickstarting the entire soda industry with their breakout…Episode details →
▶S5 E4
Sunshine in a GlassMar 17, 2024 · 42 minA scientist and businessman team up to develop a Vitamin C rich war ration for the troops fighting in World War 2, which unexpectedly leads…Episode details →
▶S5 E5
Let Them Bake CakeMar 24, 2024 · 42 minDuring 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…Episode details →
▶S5 E6
Penny Candy CrazeMar 31, 2024 · 42 minIn the early 1900s, an underestimated confectioner creates the first wrapped penny candy--the Tootsie Roll. Meanwhile, an unemployed salesman transforms medicinal hard candy into…Episode details →
▶S5 E7
Champions of BreakfastApr 14, 2024Will Kellogg is on top of the cereal industry after beating out post, but now, the king of cereal has met his match with…Episode details →
▶S5 E8
Planet MarsApr 21, 2024After being kicked out of the family business by his father, Forrest Mars scratches and claws his way back to create a multi-sector global…Episode details →
▶S5 E9
Lunchbox LegendsJul 7, 2024Lunchtime is one of the most enjoyable meals of every kid's day, but before the 1960s it was just another meal; then, three very…Episode details →
▶S5 E10
The ColonelJul 14, 2024Kentucky gas station owner, Harland Sanders, develops a new method for making fried chicken, drawing customers from far and wide.Episode details →
▶S5 E11
Citrus Soda StarsJul 21, 2024A 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…Episode details →
▶S5 E12
Burger Empire: The Ray Kroc StoryJul 28, 2024In 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,…Episode details →
▶S6 E1
Tortilla TakeoverFeb 23, 2025Bold visionaries take big risks to bring Mexican food to all Americans, by creating the best-selling condiment on the planet, two of the most…Episode details →
▶S6 E2
Movie Theatre MunchiesMar 2, 2025A struggling chocolate maker and a young theater assistant create the movie theater concession stand as we know it and launch the world's most…Episode details →
▶S6 E3
Baking Chocolate Chip HistoryMar 9, 2025A teacher turned restaurateur invents America's most popular cookie which leads to a battle of food giants, and one of the most iconic packaged…Episode details →
▶S6 E4
Empire of ConvenienceMar 16, 2025The first convenience store is born, and with new innovations like late hours, to-go coffee, and America's most beloved slushy drink, it rises into…Episode details →
▶S6 E5
Legends of the MallMar 23, 2025Early American malls have no food court, until a cinnamon bun, a pretzel, and a panda all move in to create three of the…Episode details →
▶S6 E6
Coffee: A Brewed AwakeningMar 30, 2025Jim Folger discovers a new way to bring coffee to the masses. Then another famous coffee brand gets its big break at the Maxwell…Episode details →
▶S6 E7
A Box of ChocolatesApr 13, 2025Stephen Whitman introduces Americans to chocolate candy in a sampler box, Russell Stover builds a competing company, and both iconic brands help turn chocolate…Episode details →
▶S6 E8
Beer NecessitiesApr 20, 2025A German immigrant looks to revolutionize the American beer industry when he's handed a struggling brewery; his signature beer will go on to amass…Episode details →
▶S6 E9
Asian Food InvasionApr 27, 2025A down-on-his-luck Japanese businessman and a Chinese immigrant and her son change the American palette when they introduce instant noodles in a cup, Peking…Episode details →
▶S6 E10
You Don't Know JackMay 4, 2025Jack Daniel, known for his determination and innovative spirit, teams up with a skilled distiller to create a new recipe that could change the…Episode details →
▶S7 E1
Pizza Power PlayApr 19, 2026 · 42 minTwo pizza juggernauts expand their empires as a hungry new contender turns the fight into a three-way race to become America’s biggest pizza chain.Episode details →
▶S7 E2
Cereal KillersApr 26, 2026 · 42 minRival cereal giants race to invent the next must-have bowl, sparking a sugary arms race of mascots, crunch, candy, and the first ever chocolate…Episode details →
▶S7 E3
The Birth of BubblegumMay 3, 2026 · 42 minA struggling candy maker’s botched experiment leads to the world’s first bubble gum, its distinctive color, and a decades-long bubble gum war fueled by…Episode details →
▶S7 E4
Drive-Thru Burger RevolutionMay 10, 2026 · 42 minThree burger operators race to serve a new generation on wheels, and a primitive intercom and sliding window evolve into the drive-thru — revolutionizing…Episode details →
▶S7 E5
Chocolate in a GlassMay 17, 2026 · 42 minA chemist unlocks a chocolate syrup that transforms milk into a magic sensation, a scrappy soda shop owner cracks the code to bottling liquid…Episode details →
▶S7 E6
Clash of the Cookie GiantsMay 31, 2026 · 43 minA century ago, the cookie industry didn't exist, until a wave of innovators turn it into a $15 billion powerhouse.Episode details →
▶S7 E7
Cheesecake ChroniclesJun 7, 2026 · 42 minA struggling cheesemaker, a New York restauranteur, a small-time baker, and a determined mother-son duo transform a humble cheese pie into a decadent American…Episode details →
▶S7 E8
Rice to RichesJun 14, 2026 · 42 minA keen-eyed immigrant, a candy mogul, and two pasta-making brothers reinvent rice for America’s kitchens by making it faster, easier, and impossible to resist.Episode details →
▶S7 E9
Burgers, Burritos, & the Battle for Fast FoodJun 21, 2026 · 42 minAn upstart chain innovates iconic menu items and fast food staples including a value menu and free refills, while fending off a new competitor…Episode details →
▶S7 E10
Icons of Ice CreamJun 28, 2026 · 41 minFrom the first ice cream bar in history, to the invention of classic flavors, a century of bold innovators transforms ice cream from a…Episode details →
▶S7 E11
Spilling the TeaJul 5, 2026 · 42 minA beverage giant is challenged for dominance by two upstart companies from Brooklyn to revolutionize the beverage market and transform iced tea from a…Episode details →
▶S7 E12
Let's Get CrackeringJul 12, 2026 · 42 minAs two baking powerhouses collide, scrappy upstarts and mom-and-pop players help turn crackers into a snack aisle staple.Episode details →
▶S7 E13
Cereal SensationsJul 19, 2026Cereal pioneers battle for control of America's breakfast table.Episode details →
▶S7 E14
Say Yes to the DressingJul 26, 2026Richard Hellmann deli's mayonnaise launches America's condiment revolution.Episode details →
You Might Also Like
View all
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW
TV SHOW