# Monsanto: The Sweetener and the Salesman (Part 1)

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-history-of-fresh-produce-6999611/monsanto-the-sweetener-and-the-salesman-part-1.md
Podcast: [The History of Fresh Produce](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-history-of-fresh-produce-6999611)
Published: 2026-04-21T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://hfp.captivate.fm
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/05eb0891-c1c6-4749-9137-e6208d8dc8d1.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3040

## Resource

Who was John Francis Queeny, the broke Irish-American salesman who founded one of the most powerful and controversial companies in the history of modern agriculture - without knowing the first thing about chemistry? Why did a secret deal with Coca-Cola, a presidential letter, and a warehouse full of matches save his fledgling empire from collapse? And how does the unlikely story of a fake sweetener made from coal tar in St. Louis open a window onto the birth of the American chemical industry; from patent medicines and caffeine trials to the fossil chemistry that would one day reshape what the entire world eats? Join John and Patrick as they begin their six-part series on Monsanto - the company that started with saccharin and ended up controlling the farm - in an age when there were no labels, no regulations, and absolutely no shortage of things that could kill you... ---------- In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business ----------- Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Support us! Share this episode with your friends Give a 5-star rating Write a review ----------- Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more. ----------- Instagram, TikTok, Threads: @historyoffreshproduce Email: historyoffreshproduce@gmail.com

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