The Food That Built America

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It takes bold visionaries risking everything to create some of the most recognizable brands on the planet. The Food That Built America, based on the hit documentary series from The HISTORY® Channel, tells the extraordinary true stories of industry titans like Henry Heinz, Milton Hershey, the Kellogg brothers and Ray Kroc, who revolutionized the food industry and transformed American life and culture in the process.

The HISTORY Channel & OZY


    • Sep 12, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 23m AVG DURATION
    • 29 EPISODES

    4.6 from 673 ratings Listeners of The Food That Built America that love the show mention: ozy, sean braswell, coca cola, history channel, unavailable, grade, food, fascinating, cool, overall, culture, learn, fun, stories, love, entertaining, informative, show, long, interesting.


    Ivy Insights

    The Food That Built America podcast is a fascinating journey through the history of some of the most iconic food brands in America. The podcast delves into the stories behind these brands, exploring the trials, triumphs, and innovations that shaped them into what they are today. Whether you're a food enthusiast or just interested in the history of American culture, this podcast offers a wealth of captivating information.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is its ability to engage listeners with its storytelling. Each episode is expertly crafted and seamlessly blends together narration, interviews with food historians and experts, and even sound effects to create an immersive experience. The hosts are knowledgeable and passionate about their subject matter, which shines through in their delivery. The episodes cover a wide range of topics, from fast food chains to snack foods to desserts, ensuring that there's something for everyone.

    Additionally, The Food That Built America provides insights into the business side of the food industry. It explores the strategies employed by companies to stay ahead of competitors and adapt to changing consumer demands. These stories showcase not only the successes but also the failures and challenges faced by these companies along their journey. It offers a unique perspective on how these brands became household names and sheds light on the behind-the-scenes world of the food industry.

    However, one drawback of this podcast is that some listeners find it distracting due to background noises or noises associated with eating sounds during episodes centered around snacks or fast food chains. Additionally, some listeners find that listening at night can be less soothing due to certain elements in the podcast.

    In conclusion, The Food That Built America is an informative and entertaining podcast that explores the history behind beloved food brands in America. With its engaging storytelling and insights into both successes and challenges faced by these brands, it offers a fresh perspective on their rise to prominence. While there may be some minor distractions for certain listeners, overall this podcast provides an enjoyable experience for anyone interested in food or American history.



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    Latest episodes from The Food That Built America

    HISTORY This Week is returning this Monday, 9/16!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 1:00


    HISTORY This week is about to return! We'll be back with new episodes this Monday, September 16th. In the meantime, listen to our trailer for Season 5, and follow HISTORY This Week wherever you get your podcasts.To stay updated: historythisweekpodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    acast history this week
    Taco Bell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2022 26:18


    In the mid-50s, a San Bernardino man named Glen Bell is fixated on McDonald's. His own burger stand is in shambles, and he's trying to bounce back. When he looks around, though, he realizes Mexican food is gaining popularity, but that most Americans are afraid of anything that strays from their bland palettes. That's when he realizes: A taco is really a burger in a shell. With a few fits and starts, Taco Bell is born. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Pop Stars

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2022 21:31


    Popcorn may very well be the oldest snack food on the planet, but for much of its modern history it was something to be consumed in movie theaters or at fairgrounds - not at home. No truly national brand existed and it was far from the convenient snack it is today. But in the 1950s, Orville Redenbacher believed science could launch popcorn forward, making him a household name. His thousands of hybridizing experiments innovated popcorn down to its genetic code, resulting in a more flavorful pop twice the size of anything the world had seen before. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Let Them Eat Snack Cake

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2022 22:41


    Nowadays, grocery stores and gas stations are filled with Little Debbie products. In the 1950s, though, snack cakes were just gaining popularity, when a Chattanooga couple took a risk, scrapping big pies in favor of debut snack cakes instead. their company, Little Debbie, now dominates 54% of the snack cake industry with over $890 million in sales. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Cookie Fortunes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2022 23:06


    In the mid 1970s, a woman who wants to be more than just a housewife, is tired of living in her husband's shadow. Armed with her phenomenal cookies, Debbi Fields seeks out an unlikely spot for her unlikely business - a cookie shop named Mrs. Fields in a shopping mall...run by a woman with no experience. With her husband's credit on the line, she starts her journey to build a $450 million dollar cookie juggernaut. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Chain Reaction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 36:29


    In the mid-60s, a single perfume salesman finds himself struggling to meet women to date. So, he goes to the bar to complain to the bartender about his predicament. That's when the salesman has an idea: What if you made your own co-ed bar? What ensues is a quest to make bars coed and fun, and TGI Fridays is born, revolutionizing the idea of sit-down dining and bar culture. Now, the business has 303 locations in the United States. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    A Dish Best Served Soft

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 21:26


    In Illinois, a father and son working in the wholesale ice cream mixing business have an idea. Convinced that ice cream tastes better fresh before it's fully-frozen, what if they could create a machine that could dispense it while it's still only semi-solid? Their names are John and Alex McCullough. By 1940 the McCullough's open their first store, naming it Dairy Queen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Do or Donut

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 26:21


    Post-World War Two, a food entrepreneur sees promise in a new business. In 1948, William Rosenberg notices two of his offerings selling better than anything else: donuts and coffee. So, he takes a risk, opening a shop with his brother-in-law that will sell just two items. The store, Open Kettle, offers a whopping 52 kinds of hand cut donuts. After a few bumps along the road, Dunkin Donuts is born, and Rosenberg finds a way to dominate the donut business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    A Cold One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2022 29:58


    150 years ago, German immigrants in the Midwest write the history of beer in America. A recently shipwrecked steamboat captain - Captain Frederick Pabst - buys a local brewery, becoming the largest producer in the city. The crisp American lager we know today is born. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Submarine Warfare

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2022 23:41


    Sixty years ago, sandwiches were finger food, not a whole meal, and certainly not sold as fast food. But when three high school friends encounter a sub sandwich, they realize it's the perfect fast-food alternative. As they navigate advertising, business, and menus, they create Blimpie, and reshape the way Americans think about lunch. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Once You Pop

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 19:24


    In the 1950s, one of the biggest companies in the world - Procter and Gamble - decides to enter the chip business. A chemist for P&G designs a strong, saddle-shaped chip and a revolutionary container to ship them in, and Pringles are born. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Cookie Wars

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2022 21:36


    Nabisco, the most popular cookie company, is born when an ill-fated partnership leads Adolphus Green to revolutionize packaging and create one of the most iconic cookie and cracker companies ever. But when his former partners strike back with their own invention, Green retaliates with the help of milk chocolate titan Milton Hershey. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    A Game of Chicken

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022 22:44


    In the 1970's, Ray Kroc of McDonald's is far ahead of the competition. But when a burger chain called Burger King poaches his third-highest ranking executive, Don Smith, it's war. Smith re-engineers the emerging rival, and in an unprecedented move, Kroc brings on a world renowned chef to develop the chicken nugget. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Gum Slingers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 19:18


    William Wrigley, whose name will later adorn sports stadiums and buildings, first stumbles upon a new product that will kickstart a revolution across industries. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The Big Cheese

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2022 23:26


    At the turn of the 20th century, James Kraft challenges thousands of years of cheese-making tradition and forever alters the dairy industry with his new cheese innovation: processed cheese. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    King of Burgers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 20:45


    In the 1950s, two Florida visionaries start Insta-Burger King, a burger stand that will become Ray Kroc and McDonald's biggest rival, re-inventing their kitchen's equipment into the pioneering flame broiler. Over the next two decades these two iconic restaurants will duke it out, launching the flame-broiled burger that will shape the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Announcing: The Food That Built America Season 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 1:07


    The Food That Built America is back, and believe it when we say it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Season two will take you behind the scenes of sandwich squabbles, histories of beer, and origin stories of our favorite snacks. We'll explore the rivalries, runaway successes, and tremendous failures of the biggest names in food and drink and the legacies they left behind. New episodes of The Food That Built America premiere on April 6th wherever you listen to podcasts. And for even more iconic food moments, tune into The HISTORY® Channel for a new season of The Food That Built America TV show, premiering on Sunday, February 27 at 9 PM ET. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Introducing: Hope, Through History Season 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2021 1:55


    Welcome back to a new season of the C13Originals critically acclaimed Hope, Through History documentary limited series. Narrated and written by Pulitzer Prize Winning and Best Selling Historian, Jon Meacham, Season Two explores some of the most historic and trying times in American History, and how this nation dealt with the impact of these moments, and how we came through these moments a more unified nation. Season Two, presented by C13Originals, in association with The HISTORY Channel, will guide you through the Battle of Gettysburg and its impact on the future of the country, the relationship between FDR and Churchill and America's slow walk to war, the plan for AIDS relief, the sinking of the Lusitania and events impact on the future of America, and Bloody Sunday and the Voting Rights Act. As Winston Churchill once remarked, “The future is unknowable, but the past should give us hope”—the hope that human ingenuity, reason, and character can combine to save us from the abyss and keep us on a path, in another phrase of Churchill's, to broad, sun-lit uplands. Welcome to Season Two. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Colonel Sanders’ First Stand

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2021 29:04


    During the Great Depression, a Kentucky businessman named Harlan Sanders started selling fried chicken out of the tiny kitchen inside his gas station. He launched a product that would become an American staple and make him a brand icon: Kentucky Fried Chicken. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The Great Chocolatiers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2021 31:57


    With his iconic milk chocolate bar, Milton Hershey transformed an exotic luxury into an affordable indulgence for millions of Americans. Then he went to war with an upstart rival - Frank Mars, creator of legendary bars like the Milky Way, Snickers and Three Musketeers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The Chips That Took Over the Snack World

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 34:29


    In different corners of the country in the 1930s, ambitious entrepreneurs Charles Elmer Doolin and Herman Lay launched two products — Fritos corn chips and Lay’s potato chips — that would revolutionize the way Americans snack. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Frozen Flavored Icicles

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2021 36:15


    In 1905, an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson left a stirring stick in a cup of soda out in the cold overnight. The next morning, he discovered the Popsicle, an icy treat enjoyed by millions today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The 57 Varieties of Henry Heinz

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2021 29:44


    After suffering through bankruptcy and imprisonment in his early 20s, a young entrepreneur named Henry Heinz made his own version of a popular sauce known as ketchup. His tasty brand would change Americans’ food preferences for generations. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    For the Love of Pizza

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2021 31:28


    In two different Midwestern cities, two pairs of Irish-American brothers turn a little-known Italian dish into the single most popular food in the world. The franchises they start will change their lives, along with the American diet - Pizza Hut and Domino's. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Underneath the Golden Arches

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2021 25:19


    Dick and Mac McDonald created a ground-breaking innovative restaurant in San Bernardino, California. But it took an ambitious salesman named Ray Kroc to turn McDonald’s into a fast food empire. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Cereal Part Two: The Poster Boy of Industrial Espionage

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2021 31:58


    As Corn Flakes take over the world, brothers Will and John Harvey Kellogg do battle with a former patient-turned-rival, C.W. Post. Eventually, they go to war with each other. Part two of a two-part series. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Cereal Part One: The Brothers of Battle Creek

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2021 27:41


    The first part of a two-part exploration of the two great American breakfast cereal dynasties, Kellogg’s and Post, and the eccentric sanitarium where they began. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    America’s Home Brew: The Addict and the Promoter Who Built Coca-Cola

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2021 29:10


    The story of Coca-Cola is the tale of a chemical genius and morphine addict, John Pemberton, and a brilliant pharmacist-turned-promoter, Asa Candler, who transformed an obscure soda tonic into one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    INTRODUCING: The Food that Built America

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2021 4:31


    It takes bold visionaries risking everything to create some of the most recognizable brands on the planet. The Food That Built America, based on the hit documentary series from The HISTORY® Channel, tells the extraordinary true stories of industry titans like Henry Heinz, Milton Hershey, the Kellogg brothers and Ray Kroc, who revolutionized the food industry and transformed American life and culture in the process. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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