Food That Built America
Perfect for evenings when you want to learn how Heinz ketchup changed American cuisine without reading 500-page tomes on business history.
History Channel launched the project on August 11, 2019, as a sweeping documentary drama about how the food industry shaped modern America. This is not just a cooking show — three seasons (71 episodes) tell the stories of the people behind iconic brands: Kellogg, Heinz, McDonald's, Hershey. Each episode mixes 19th-20th century reenactments with expert commentary from historians and business analysts, showing how competition for market share led to the invention of refrigerators, freezing, and fast food. The format consists of two-hour episodes with cinematic filming, where Campbell Scott narrates in voiceover. The tone is educational yet engaging: it covers the bloody competition between the Kellogg brothers, espionage among chocolate manufacturers, and how hamburgers saved the economy during the depression. For those who love "Food Empire" on Netflix but want more historical context and less kitchen drama.
As of now, the series is completed with three seasons (71 episodes), and no new episodes have been announced.
71 episodes of 120 minutes, divided into three seasons.
Hybrid format — reenactments with actors are interspersed with interviews with historians and experts.
About the competition between the Kellogg brothers and the creation of cornflakes as a healthy alternative to Victorian-era breakfast.
Yes, each episode is standalone and tells the story of a specific brand or invention.