Season 5

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. To buy out the business, he creates the modern model of franchising and ignites a fast-food gold rush. Over three decades, Kroc's innovation produces icons like the Big Mac and Chicken McNugget, crushing the competition to make McDonald's the biggest fast-food chain in the world.

In an early 20th century America where soda is synonymous with cola, small-time St. Louis soda maker Charles Leiper Grigg dares to take on corporate giants Coke and Pepsi by introducing something entirely new--a clear, lemon-lime soda he calls "7-Up." Little does he know that at the same time, two brothers in Tennessee, Ali and Barney Hartman, have concocted an almost identical soda. What started out as their personal lemon lime cocktail mixer will put them on a collision course with 7-Up when they release it to the public as "Mountain Dew." Both will evolve into something entirely different than what they began as, but together they'll crack the industry wide open.

Kentucky gas station owner Harland Sanders creates a fried chicken recipe, franchises it nationally as KFC. When corporate owners change his recipe, the elderly Sanders fights to restore his original chicken.

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.

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.

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.

During World War 2, a scientist and businessman develop a frozen concentrated OJ to provide Vitamin C to troops. Later, a salesman's flash pasteurization method pits their companies against each other in a battle for OJ market dominance.

In early 20th century America, a confectioner pioneers the Tootsie Roll, while a salesman invents fruity Tropical Charms. Their candies spark a nationwide industry.

Mid-20th century. Two unlikely competitors, Duncan Hines cake mixes and General Mills Betty Crocker cake mixes, simplify homemaking by creating tasty, easy boxed cake mixes. America's sweetheart and the original foodie go head-to-head.

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.

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.

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