Thanksgiving may still be synonymous with turkey, but the bird no longer has the holiday all to itself. Across surveys, retail data, and grocery trend reports, the real emotional center of the meal often looks more like a ring of beloved sides and desserts.

That shift does not mean turkey is disappearing. It means Americans are building the holiday around a fuller cast of comfort-food stars, many of which inspire stronger opinions, cravings, and traditions than the centerpiece itself.

The side dishes that command the loudest loyalty

If any dish can challenge turkey for holiday authority, it is stuffing. Butterball’s recent holiday reporting found stuffing ranked among the most-loved parts of Thanksgiving, while Food Network has described it as the dish many people consider essential to a true holiday plate. Instacart’s latest Thanksgiving shopping data adds a practical sign of that devotion: 25.0% of orders with a whole turkey also included boxed stuffing, at 55 times the typical rate for that item. That is not background behavior. That is ritual.

Mashed potatoes remain just as powerful, especially because they bridge generations and regional preferences. Older survey data from Ipsos found 77% of Americans expected mashed potatoes on the table, making them more common than many other classics. Butterball and Instacart reporting in recent years has similarly kept potatoes near the top tier of favorite dishes. In real households, mashed potatoes are less a supporting player than a reliability test: if they are silky, hot, and well-seasoned, the entire meal feels more successful.

Gravy deserves its own place in the conversation because it turns good dishes into great ones. Ipsos found 70% of Americans include gravy with Thanksgiving, a striking figure for something technically considered a sauce. Its influence is outsized because it ties turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and rolls into one flavor story. A dry turkey can be forgiven when the gravy is rich; bland stuffing can be revived with one ladle.

Then there is green bean casserole, the dish that refuses to fade. Instacart’s soup-season data shows cream of mushroom soup is dramatically more likely to be bought alongside crispy fried onions and canned green beans, a strong signal that casserole prep begins before Thanksgiving week peaks. It is not glamorous, but it is culturally resilient. The casserole survives because it delivers exactly what holidays reward: familiarity, texture, and permission to be unapologetically nostalgic.

The sweet, savory, and regional favorites reshaping the plate

Cranberry sauce may be the most polarizing item on the table, yet that tension keeps it relevant. Instacart’s newest Thanksgiving analysis found canned cranberry sauce appeared in fresh- and frozen-turkey orders at more than double the rate of fresh cranberries. That detail matters because it shows convenience does not weaken tradition; in this case, it reinforces it. The can-shaped version is not a compromise for many families. It is the point.

Sweet potato casserole and candied yams also continue to punch above their weight, especially in the South and in family menus where dessert-like sides are part of the identity of the meal. Ipsos found 33% of Americans include sweet potato casserole, with stronger representation in the South. Instacart trend reporting has also highlighted broad national appeal for candied yams with marshmallows. These dishes blur the line between side and dessert, which may be why they linger so strongly in memory.

Macaroni and cheese, while not universal, has become impossible to dismiss as a regional outlier. Ipsos found 28% of Americans include it, but that figure climbed to 40% in the South. Its rise reflects a broader Thanksgiving evolution: families increasingly prioritize the dishes their guests will actually reach for twice. Mac and cheese fits that brief perfectly. It is rich, crowd-friendly, and often gone long before the turkey platter is empty.

Dinner rolls complete the picture more than they merely pad it. Ipsos found 71% of Americans serve bread or rolls, which puts them firmly in staple territory. Rolls matter because they absorb gravy, cradle leftover turkey, and serve as the edible insurance policy of the meal. Even when more elaborate sides rotate in and out, bread remains the quiet constant that proves Thanksgiving excess is not only accepted, but expected.

Why pie and abundance may matter more than the centerpiece

Dessert is where the turkey’s claim to dominance gets weakest. Butterball’s holiday findings put pie among the leading favorites connected to Thanksgiving, and Instacart’s recent data found pumpkin pie among the biggest single-day Thanksgiving spikes on the platform. That kind of purchasing surge reflects more than seasonal availability. It suggests dessert is not an afterthought; it is one of the moments people plan around, protect, and save room for whether or not they admit it at dinner.

Pumpkin pie may be the icon, but the broader pie category is what truly steals attention. Apple, pecan, and sweet potato pie all carry strong regional and family loyalties, which means the dessert table often sparks as much debate as the carving board. Unlike turkey, pie is rarely judged by moisture, timing, or resting technique. It arrives with lower stress and higher certainty, a winning combination on a day when hosts are juggling ovens, guests, and expectations.

What emerges from the latest data is not a fall from grace for turkey, but a redistribution of Thanksgiving prestige. Turkey still signals the holiday. Yet stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, mac and cheese, rolls, and pie increasingly define how people experience it. The meal works because the spotlight is shared.

That may be the real modern Thanksgiving truth. The bird remains the symbol, but the favorites around it are often the dishes guests talk about, defend, and recreate first the next day. In many homes, that makes them more than sides. It makes them the memory of the meal.

Florida is a state with no shortage of drive-thrus, chains, and fiercely defended food loyalties. When Floridians argue about fast food, they are usually reacting to more than taste alone.

Why fast food feelings run unusually deep in Florida

Florida is one of the country’s most chain-saturated restaurant markets, which helps explain why opinions here get so intense. ScrapeHero’s 2026 location data shows Subway, McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell are deeply embedded across the state, with hundreds of storefronts competing for the same lunch, late-night, and road-trip dollars. In practical terms, Floridians are not debating occasional splurges. They are judging businesses that shape their everyday routines.

That constant exposure sharpens expectations. A beach town commuter, an Orlando family, and a Panhandle road-tripper may all encounter the same brands several times a week, but in very different service conditions. High tourism also raises the stakes. A chain that runs smoothly under pressure earns loyalty fast, while one that slips on speed, cleanliness, or order accuracy becomes a recurring annoyance people remember.

There is also a strong hometown factor. Burger King was founded in Florida, and chains with deep Southeastern roots, especially Chick-fil-A, often benefit from regional familiarity that goes beyond the menu. In a state where newcomers and natives mix constantly, fast food becomes a small but visible way people express identity, habit, and even local pride.

The five chains Floridians debate most — and what the numbers suggest

If there are five chains that reliably trigger debate in Florida, they are McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A. They are everywhere, they overlap heavily, and they represent very different ideas of value. McDonald’s wins on ubiquity and predictability, while Taco Bell thrives on price-sensitive cravings and a menu built for customization. Chick-fil-A, by contrast, competes less on sheer variety and more on consistency.

Customer satisfaction data suggests those distinctions are real. In the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s 2026 quick-service rankings, Chick-fil-A scored 83, Burger King 78, Wendy’s 77, Taco Bell 74, and McDonald’s 72. That does not mean every Florida customer agrees, but it does show why Chick-fil-A defenders often sound vindicated and why McDonald’s critics tend to focus on experience rather than nostalgia.

Price matters too, especially in a high-cost state with a wide income spread. Florida price tracking in 2026 showed a typical Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich around $5.39, while a Big Mac and Whopper both landed near $6.19, a Wendy’s Dave’s Single near $5.99, and a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme around $6.59. Those comparisons help explain why some Floridians praise Taco Bell for indulgence, McDonald’s for convenience, and Chick-fil-A for perceived value even when it is not the cheapest ticket.

Do Floridians actually have a point? Mostly, yes

On balance, yes: many of Florida’s strongest fast food opinions hold up when tested against measurable factors. Chick-fil-A’s reputation for smooth operations aligns with inspection and satisfaction data. FloridaFoodSafety.org’s recent chain tracking showed Chick-fil-A with a 95.83% pass rate, compared with 95.51% for Taco Bell and 87.41% for Burger King. That gap does not tell the whole story, but it reinforces the idea that consistency is not just branding.

Burger King is the most complicated case. Floridians often speak about it with equal parts affection and frustration, which makes sense for a legacy chain that remains highly visible but does not always win on execution. ACSI noted the brand has improved alongside investments in restaurant upgrades and menu messaging. In other words, the people saying Burger King can be good are not imagining things, but neither are those complaining about uneven visits.

McDonald’s and Wendy’s sit in the middle of Florida’s fast food argument because they are judged against impossible standards: they must be cheap, fast, familiar, and reliable all at once. Taco Bell, meanwhile, succeeds when customers want flavor and flexibility more than polish. So yes, Floridians have a point. Their strong feelings are less about irrational fandom than about repeated, measurable experiences in one of America’s most competitive fast food states.

Thanksgiving pie is rarely just dessert. It is tradition, status symbol, nostalgia, and, increasingly, a subtle flex from hosts who know one pie is never enough.

That is why a dozen different pies are showing up on holiday tables this year. Not all 12 are national bestsellers, but together they reveal how Americans actually eat on Thanksgiving: loyal to classics, curious about regional standouts, and always ready for another slice.

The classics still dominate, but the pecking order is clear

The strongest evidence starts with pumpkin, and the gap is not small. Instacart’s Thanksgiving pie analysis ranks pumpkin as the nation’s leading holiday pie, followed by apple and pecan, with sweet potato and cherry rounding out the top five. That hierarchy matters because it separates true national staples from pies that feel familiar but do not have the same broad purchasing support.

Instacart’s data also shows how deeply seasonal the category is. In its latest holiday analysis, pumpkin pie’s share of items ordered on Thanksgiving Day 2025 jumped 3,439% versus its usual annual share, a surge that reflects last-minute demand rather than a niche craving. The report also noted sharp spikes in pie crusts, filling mixes, spices, and baking tools, underscoring how much pie still anchors the holiday kitchen.

Even the raw ingredients tell the same story. USDA Economic Research Service data shows U.S. pumpkin production reached 1.47 billion pounds in 2025, with Illinois alone producing about 533 million pounds. That scale helps explain why pumpkin remains the default ending to the Thanksgiving meal: it is culturally fixed, agriculturally abundant, and widely expected.

Regional favorites and fresh flavors are expanding the dessert table

After the top five, the pie story gets more interesting. Instacart’s broader rankings place berry, key lime, cream, peach, and peanut butter in the top 10, suggesting that Thanksgiving dessert is no longer a strictly old-school list of harvest pies. These are not all equal in national stature, but they are clearly earning space in carts and on tables.

Regional preference sharpens the picture. Instacart has found pecan pie especially popular in Texas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma, while sweet potato pie over-indexes in Georgia, Maryland, and North Carolina. French silk also stands out in parts of the Midwest, especially Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, while cream pies show particular strength in Northeastern states such as Maine and Massachusetts.

That helps explain why editorial pie lists now stretch beyond the standard trio. A host might still lead with pumpkin, apple, and pecan, then add cherry, key lime, peanut butter, cranberry, chess, or French silk to signal personality. The key point is not that all 12 are equally established Thanksgiving favorites. It is that modern holiday tables are mixing verified classics with regional loyalties and crowd-pleasing curveballs.

Why hosts are leaning into variety this Thanksgiving

Circana’s 2025 Thanksgiving research offers the clearest reason pie variety matters: 97% of Thanksgiving dinners are eaten at home or at someone else’s home, and 28% of main Thanksgiving meals are consumed at another person’s house. In other words, many guests are not just showing up hungry. They are showing up ready to compare, compliment, and sample.

That dynamic rewards abundance and contrast. A dessert spread with only one pie can feel thin for a gathering that averages about eight people, according to Circana. A table with several styles, by contrast, lets hosts satisfy the purist who wants pumpkin, the traditionalist who wants apple, and the opportunist who suddenly decides a thin sliver of peanut butter or French silk would be a good idea too.

Food media is reinforcing that wider lens. Bon Appétit is currently featuring cranberry meringue pie as part of its holiday baking coverage, proof that tart, vivid, conversation-starting pies are moving into the seasonal spotlight beside caramel apple and custard classics. The result is a Thanksgiving dessert culture where the winners are not only the most popular pies, but the mix of pies that keeps guests circling back for one more forkful.

Foster is winding down its North Carolina food distribution footprint, with 181 workers affected across sites tied to Winston-Salem and Greenville. State WARN records show the closures were filed on October 21, 2026, after the company lost major customer business.

What Foster filed in North Carolina

North Carolina Commerce records show Foster filed WARN notices dated October 21, 2026, with the state receiving them on October 22, 2026. The filings list permanent closures with an effective date of March 5, 2027. The records identify 169 affected workers at 2900 Lowery St. in Winston-Salem and 12 at 1060 Taylors Creek Dr. in Greenville.

The state summary lists the Winston-Salem and Greenville sites under WARN number 202600057. Both entries are classified as closures, not temporary layoffs, and both are marked permanent. The notice does not list any affected workers in Colfax, even though reporting on the wind-down says Foster operates a third North Carolina facility there.

Business North Carolina reported that the Colfax location in western Guilford County had no workers assigned to it when the notice was filed. That outlet also reported the jobs affected stretch beyond warehouse roles and include company leadership positions. Foster did not immediately provide additional public detail in that report beyond what was included in the WARN filing and management letter.

For workers, the state’s WARN process matters because it starts the clock for rapid response and job transition help. North Carolina Commerce says companies meeting WARN thresholds must notify the state ahead of major closures or mass layoffs, and the agency’s rapid response program is designed to support affected employees after a filing.

Why the food distributor is winding down

According to Business North Carolina, Foster said it learned on October 14, 2026, that its principal customer would terminate its contract effective November 11, 2026. In the company’s WARN explanation, that account represented about 70% of Foster’s business. The same report said a second lost customer accounted for another 10%.

Foster described the loss of the main account as sudden and unexpected, according to the report quoting the WARN letter. That explanation is also why the company said it could not provide every worker with the standard 60 days of notice. The reporting ties the closures directly to those lost contracts, rather than to a food safety issue, retail shutdown, or product recall.

The company has long operated behind the scenes of the food supply chain. Business North Carolina said Foster began more than a century ago as Foster & Caviness in Greensboro and grew into a multi-state food logistics and supply chain business serving restaurants, schools, food pantries, and other customers. Its operations included food delivery and cold storage.

That makes this a meaningful change for institutional and commercial food customers, even if most shoppers will never have visited one of the sites. This is not a supermarket closing to the public. The disruption is more likely to be felt in contract distribution, warehousing, refrigerated storage, and route planning for the customers that relied on Foster.

What it could mean for food customers

The reported timeline shows the staffing reductions are staggered, not all at once. Business North Carolina said 36 workers were separated on October 25, 2026, another 121 are scheduled to leave on November 8, and the final 24 are expected to depart in groups between December 4 and March 5.

For customers that relied on Foster for fresh, refrigerated, or frozen distribution, the practical issue is continuity. Accounts may need replacement warehousing, transportation, cold storage, or fresh handling capacity. That can affect how quickly restaurants, schools, and other institutional buyers reset delivery schedules and inventory systems.

The timing also stands out because Foster had recently expanded in Winston-Salem. Business North Carolina reported the company invested $6.25 million in a cold storage and distribution facility there, completed in 2025. A 2024 North Carolina Commerce release tied a state grant-supported renovation in Winston-Salem to a building then occupied by Foster-Caviness, a wholesale produce distribution company serving retailers, schools, chain restaurants, and prisons in the mid-Atlantic region.

For home cooks, the story is mostly a reminder of how much of the food system runs out of sight. Warehouses, truck routes, and cold rooms rarely make headlines, but they help move produce and other perishables to the places where people actually buy meals and groceries. When a distributor exits, the visible effect may be limited at first, but the rerouting work behind the scenes can be substantial.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has added three new Hershey-branded desserts to its drive-thru and restaurant menu starting November 4. The limited-time lineup is scheduled to stay available through January 5, according to the chain’s announcement.

What Freddy’s is adding to the menu

The new desserts are the Hershey’s Snowfall Sundae, the Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Concrete, and the Heath Caramel Cheesecake Concrete. Freddy’s announced the items in a partnership with The Hershey Company, pairing its vanilla frozen custard with several familiar candy and dessert flavors.

The Hershey’s Snowfall Sundae starts with vanilla frozen custard and adds Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce, marshmallow sauce, and Hershey’s Chocolate Chips. Freddy’s says each sundae is finished with whipped cream and a cherry, giving the item a holiday-style build without changing the chain’s base custard.

The Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Concrete takes its cue from the classic holiday cookie. Freddy’s says it blends vanilla frozen custard with cookie dough and Reese’s Peanut Butter Sauce, then tops the dessert with Hershey’s Chocolate Chips. That makes it the most peanut butter-forward item in the trio, while still leaning on the chocolate profile tied to the Hershey name.

How the third dessert rounds out the trio

The Heath Caramel Cheesecake Concrete goes in a richer direction. Freddy’s says the dessert combines vanilla frozen custard with a double portion of Heath Toffee, caramel sauce, and cheesecake, then finishes it with whipped cream and a cinnamon streusel garnish.

In the company’s announcement, Rick Petralia, Freddy’s executive chef and vice president of training and innovation, said the chain was pleased to work with The Hershey Company on menu items that combine classic flavors with the quality guests expect from Freddy’s. The statement positions the launch as a seasonal dessert promotion built around recognizable candy brands rather than a permanent menu change.

For customers, the main kitchen takeaway is straightforward: this is a short-run dessert window, and the three items cover distinct flavor lanes. One leans chocolate and marshmallow, one leans peanut butter cookie, and one leans toffee, caramel, and cheesecake. That spread gives families or groups a few clearly different options if they’re stopping at Freddy’s for dessert after dinner or adding a sweet item to a burger order.

What else is part of the promotion

Freddy’s also said the French Onion Steakburger is returning for the same limited-time period. The sandwich includes two steakburger patties, melted Swiss cheese, grilled onions, crispy onions, and French Onion aioli on a toasted bun, according to the company’s release.

That savory return matters because Freddy’s is packaging the Hershey desserts as part of a broader seasonal menu push, not as a standalone candy collaboration. In other words, the desserts are the headline, but the promotion is designed to cover both ends of the meal for guests using the drive-thru or dining in.

The timing also lines up with a broader Hershey promotional moment. Secondary coverage from Allrecipes highlighted the dessert launch alongside other seasonal Hershey tie-ins this year, but the clearest confirmed details are the menu names, ingredients, and the November 4 through January 5 availability window stated in Freddy’s announcement. For anyone planning a visit, those are the details that matter most for the kitchen and the order screen.

NOT VETTED: A current 2026 Wawa announcement could not be fully confirmed from a readable official source, so this article uses the provided report and Wawa’s last readable official Gobbler release for confirmation of the product format.

Wawa’s Gobbler is back on menus for the fall, according to the provided Yahoo and Allrecipes report, bringing back the chain’s Thanksgiving-style sandwich lineup before the holiday arrives. The returning item matters to busy home cooks because it puts familiar holiday flavors into a quick lunch or dinner, with several formats and add-ons that echo a leftovers plate.

What is returning at Wawa this season

The provided Yahoo and Allrecipes report says Wawa has brought back the Gobbler menu for 2026. The article describes the lineup as available in hoagie, wrap, and bowl form, all built around turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. It also says customers can choose hot or cold versions in some formats, giving regulars more than one way to order the seasonal item.

According to that report, the classic hot Gobbler comes on a hoagie roll with turkey breast, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. The same source says customers can also add sides such as mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes. For people who want a chilled version, the report says Wawa also offers a cold Gobbler made with deli turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, without gravy.

The bowl version adds another comfort-food element. The Yahoo and Allrecipes story says Gobbler Bowls include the hot Gobbler ingredients and add mac and cheese. That makes the bowl the closest version to a full holiday plate, especially for customers who want a fork-and-bowl meal instead of a sandwich or wrap.

A readable Wawa media alert from October 13, 2025 confirmed the chain was serving the Gobbler as a hoagie, bowl, and, for the first time that year, a wrap. In that same release, Wawa said the sandwich featured hot roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and mashed or sweet potatoes.

How customizable the Gobbler appears to be

One reason the Gobbler tends to draw repeat orders is flexibility. The provided report says all three versions can be customized, with options to add cheese, sauces, vegetables, or seasonings. It also notes that customers can ask for extra cranberry sauce or leave it off entirely, depending on how closely they want the meal to resemble a traditional Thanksgiving plate.

The same report points to other possible add-ons, including crispy onions, bacon, hot sauce, and Cheddar cheese. That matters for customers who want to treat the Gobbler less like a fixed seasonal special and more like a starting point. In practice, it gives Wawa’s ordering system room to turn a standard holiday build into something saltier, spicier, or heavier.

Wawa’s 2025 media alert also supports the idea that customization is part of the item’s appeal. In that official release, the company said fans could order the Gobbler in a wrap alongside the classic hoagie and bowl and could request a double stuffed option. While that release was for 2025, it aligns with the formats and customization described in the provided 2026 report.

For shoppers, that means the most useful move is checking the in-store touchscreen or app before ordering. Availability of hot, cold, bowl, or wrap formats can vary by listing, and the exact add-on combinations shown to customers may depend on the store’s ordering system.

Why the Gobbler keeps showing up in fall food coverage

The Gobbler stands out because it taps directly into holiday leftovers, one of the most familiar meals of the season. The provided report frames it as a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich without the wait for the day after the holiday. That simple idea helps explain why the item gets fresh attention each fall, even though the core ingredients are familiar.

Wawa has tied the Gobbler to fall promotions before. In its October 13, 2025 media alert, the company paired the item’s return with a broader seasonal push and described the Gobbler as a fall favorite. That release also said Wawa had 1,100 locations at the time across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The current 2026 story provided by the user leans heavily on fan reaction posted to Instagram, but those comments are not enough on their own to verify broader demand. What is clear from the sourced reporting is that the sandwich has returned for the season and that the menu centers on hoagie, wrap, and bowl formats with holiday-style fillings.

For readers deciding whether to make the trip, the practical takeaway is straightforward. If the combination of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and optional potatoes sounds like the kind of fast comfort meal that fits an autumn weeknight, Wawa’s seasonal Gobbler lineup is back in rotation.

Jack Daniel’s master distiller Chris Fletcher picked up one of American whiskey’s headline honors in February 2026. The award matters beyond one trophy, because it arrived alongside another major win for the distillery’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey.

The award that put Chris Fletcher in the spotlight

Jack Daniel’s said on February 24, 2026, that Fletcher was named Master Distiller/Master Blender of the Year at Whisky Magazine’s 2026 Icons of Whisky and World Whiskies Awards America. According to the company, the awards ceremony was held February 12 in Louisville, Kentucky. Whisky Magazine’s published winner list also names Chris Fletcher of Jack Daniel’s as the winner in that category.

That title stands out because the Icons of Whisky program recognizes people and operations across the whiskey business, not just individual bottles. Whisky Magazine’s America results also named winners in categories such as Distiller of the Year, Craft Distiller of the Year, and Distillery Manager of the Year, which helps show the breadth of the field Fletcher was recognized within.

For home bar shoppers and cooks who follow brown spirits for sipping, gifting, or pairing with rich desserts, the award is a signal about who is shaping what lands on shelves. Fletcher’s role at Jack Daniel’s includes production, operations, and innovation, according to the company, putting him at the center of both legacy whiskey and newer releases.

Why the industry is paying attention now

The timing of Fletcher’s win is part of the story. Jack Daniel’s announcement said its 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 1, crafted under Fletcher’s oversight, also won World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey at the same event. Whisky Magazine’s America results match that, listing Jack Daniel’s 14 Years Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 1 as the World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey winner.

That kind of double recognition tends to get noticed because it links a distiller’s leadership to a specific bottle judges rewarded. In this case, the win connected Fletcher’s personal honor with a product that stood out in a high-profile competition focused on American whiskey.

Jack Daniel’s also framed the 14-Year-Old Batch 1 as historically notable. The company said the whiskey was released in February 2025 as part of the fourth annual Aged Series release and marked the first time since the early to mid-1900s that Jack Daniel’s had offered an expression at that age. For retailers, collectors, and whiskey drinkers, that adds weight to the award story because it suggests the distillery is finding success with older, premium expressions as well as its core lineup.

What Fletcher’s recognition means for whiskey fans

Fletcher has been master distiller at Jack Daniel’s since 2020, according to company materials, and Jack Daniel’s says he has helped drive releases including the Bonded Series, the Aged Series, the Special Release Series, and the Distillery Series. Those are the kinds of bottles that often attract serious enthusiasts, but they also influence what casual shoppers notice at stores and restaurants.

The wider awards results help explain why people in the industry are watching. Whisky Magazine said the America round highlighted the quality, diversity, and innovation of the U.S. whiskey industry, spanning heritage producers and newer craft distilleries. That means Fletcher’s win did not come in a quiet year or a thin field. It came in a competition presenting itself as a broad look at where American whiskey is headed.

For consumers, the practical takeaway is simple. If you have seen more attention on Jack Daniel’s premium releases, this award gives a clear reason why. A top individual honor for Fletcher, paired with a major bottle award for Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old, suggests the Lynchburg distillery is not only protecting a historic brand, but also competing aggressively in the premium whiskey conversation.

Food & Wine has named Vertosa cofounder Harold Han its 2026 Drinks Innovator in a profile published October 30, 2026. The magazine’s recognition centers on the science Han has used to help beverage makers create more consistent cannabis drinks, a category that has pushed new questions about what belongs in a can or glass.

Why Food & Wine singled out Harold Han

Food & Wine’s annual Drinks Visionaries program recognizes people the magazine says are changing the modern beverage industry, across fields that include winemaking, bartending, distilling, brewing, and social advocacy. In Han’s case, the profile focuses on a technical problem that has shaped the cannabis drinks business from the start. Cannabis oil does not naturally mix with water, which makes consistency a core challenge for any infused drink.

According to Food & Wine’s profile, Han built his career around emulsion chemistry long before he entered the cannabis world. The story says he studied how substances that naturally repel each other can be blended into stable mixtures, then carried that background from New York University to Bio-Rad Laboratories. Food & Wine reports that this work later became the basis for Vertosa, the infusion technology company Han cofounded in 2018.

The article frames that scientific background as more than lab work. It says Han’s goal has been to help remove stigma by building trust in a product that behaves predictably. Food & Wine quotes Han saying, “In the early phase of Vertosa, trust was built by good science and consistent product.” For home readers, that may be the clearest takeaway from the award, consistency has become one of the defining issues in emerging beverage categories.

The beverage problem Vertosa set out to solve

Food & Wine says Vertosa quickly focused on some of the category’s harder formulation issues. One of them was evenly blending THC into beverages so the experience would be more consistent from sip to sip. Another was a packaging problem, the profile says THC could stick to the lining of aluminum cans, which could reduce potency over time.

The magazine reports that Vertosa worked with packaging manufacturers to test formulas and can liners in an effort to make canned cannabis beverages more stable. It also says the company’s technology has been used in drinks tied to recognizable names including Pabst Blue Ribbon and Lagunitas. Earlier Vertosa company material tied the infusion platform to Pabst Blue Ribbon Cannabis Infused Seltzer and Lagunitas Hi-Fi Hops, reinforcing the brand connections highlighted in Food & Wine’s profile.

That kind of behind the scenes work rarely gets as much attention as a finished bottle or can, but it shapes how a drink performs once it reaches a cooler or table. Food & Wine presents Han’s work as part ingredient science, part product reliability. In practical terms, that means the award is really about beverage function, not just novelty, and about how formulation can influence whether a new kind of drink feels approachable to consumers.

What the recognition says about drinks right now

Food & Wine’s profile argues that Han’s influence reaches beyond one ingredient category. The story says he is now studying how cannabis beverages affect the body so their effects can become more measurable and predictable. That focus reflects a broader shift in drinks, where formulation, dose, and occasion increasingly matter alongside flavor.

The magazine also describes Han’s view that cannabis beverages are not meant simply to replace wine, beer, or cocktails. Instead, Food & Wine says he sees them as creating another kind of drinking occasion. The profile closes on his idea that drinkers may increasingly ask not just what they want to drink, but how they want to feel, a line that captures why the publication treated his work as category shaping.

For general food readers, the news matters because it shows where beverage innovation is moving, toward precision, consistency, and more clearly defined experiences in the glass. Even for people who never buy a cannabis drink, the recognition points to the kind of product development that is reshaping modern beverages across the industry.

Woodford Reserve has added a new rye whiskey to its lineup, and this one gets an extra stay in oak. Announced on October 29, 2026, Double Oaked Rye takes the brand’s Kentucky Straight Rye and finishes it in a second new oak barrel for added depth and sweetness.

What Woodford Reserve says is new about this bottle

According to Woodford Reserve, Double Oaked Rye uses the same double barreling idea that made its Double Oaked Bourbon a staple, but applies that process to rye whiskey for the first time in a permanent release. The company says the whiskey starts as fully matured Kentucky Straight Rye before being moved into a second barrel that is heavily toasted and lightly charred.

Woodford Reserve says that second barrel finish lasts for up to 12 months. On the brand’s product page, the distillery describes the whiskey as being presented in its flagship Double Oaked bottle with green label accents to mark it as a rye expression.

In a company announcement carried by BevNET, Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall said, “Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Rye is where Rye meets the richness of Double Oaked.” She added that the brand brought the same barrel finishing approach used for its bourbon into the rye category to create a more layered whiskey.

That matters for shoppers because Woodford already sells a standard rye whiskey, so this release gives buyers a side by side option within the same house style. For home bartenders, it also signals a rye that may lean richer and rounder than a classic high spice bottle, especially in stirred drinks.

The details that matter before buying

Woodford Reserve lists Double Oaked Rye at 90.4 proof, or 45.2% alcohol by volume. The product is sold in a 750mL bottle, and the company classifies it as Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey finished in a second new oak barrel.

The suggested retail price is $54.99, according to the Woodford Reserve announcement published by BevNET. The company says the whiskey will be available nationally in the United States, as well as at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and through the brand’s website in states where shipping is legal.

Woodford Reserve’s own tasting notes describe a rich amber appearance and aromas and flavors including roasted espresso, caramel, lemon custard, and candied pecan. In the announcement, the company described the color as rich mahogany, a reminder that the extra barrel time is meant to leave a visible mark as well as a flavor one.

For anyone stocking a bar cart for late fall and holiday drinks, those notes point to a rye aimed at richer serves rather than a sharply herbal profile. Woodford Reserve also highlights a Double Oaked Rye Manhattan on its site, pairing 2 oz. of the whiskey with 2/3 oz. sweet vermouth plus aromatic and orange bitters.

Why a second barrel can change the way rye shows up in cocktails

A second oak finish often pushes whiskey toward toastier, dessert-like notes, and that appears to be the lane Woodford Reserve is targeting here. Based on the company’s published tasting notes, Double Oaked Rye keeps rye’s backbone but layers on caramel, nutty sweetness, and a coffee-like edge.

That could make the bottle useful in drinks where a standard rye can read too dry or too peppery for some drinkers. In a Manhattan or Old Fashioned style build, a fuller oak profile may bring more weight without needing extra sweetener from syrups or liqueurs.

It also gives shoppers a clearer choice within the Woodford shelf. The standard rye remains the more familiar pick, while Double Oaked Rye is positioned as the oak-driven alternative with the same 90.4 proof format and a more finishing-forward profile.

Woodford Reserve says Double Oaked Rye is a permanent member of its family of brands, not a limited seasonal bottle. For consumers who like rye but want something closer to the richer profile often associated with double barrel bourbon, this release looks designed to fill that gap.

TikTok’s latest wine and soda combinations may look strange on first pour, but the idea is not as new as it seems. Recent coverage from Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, and drinks industry reporting shows that social media is reviving older wine based mixed drinks, while also pushing newer soda pairings into the spotlight.

Why the trend looks new, even when it is not

One of the clearest recent examples came in a Food & Wine article published October 30, 2026, and syndicated by AOL. The drink combines Sauvignon Blanc with apple soda, usually at about two parts wine to one part soda, served over ice. The article compared it to tinto de verano, a Spanish drink made with red wine and lemon soda or Sprite.

That same basic logic, wine plus something fizzy and sweet, also shows up in older spritzer traditions. Wine Enthusiast notes that the white wine spritzer is essentially a simple mix of wine and soda water, and that spritzer recipes have been gaining views on TikTok. The publication also points out that Spanish spritzer variations can include flavored sodas such as Coca-Cola and Fanta.

That helps explain why the trend can feel both odd and familiar. To many American drinkers, mixing wine with soda sounds like a shortcut or a dare. In practice, it often works more like a low effort highball, using bubbles, dilution, and sweetness to soften wine’s edges.

Wine writers have been tracking this pattern for a while. Wine Enthusiast previously noted that wine on TikTok has been mixed not only with sparkling water and liqueurs, but also with Coca-Cola in the Spanish kalimotxo. In that sense, TikTok is less inventing the category than giving old combinations a new audience.

The soda pairings getting attention now

The newest pairing to get mainstream food media attention is the Sauvignon Blanc and apple soda mix. According to the October 30 Food & Wine article, creators have favored apple flavored mixers such as Olipop Crisp Apple, while lighter sparkling apple drinks can make a less sweet version.

Another branch of the trend leans red. Drinks Retailing News reported on June 25, 2026, that 19 Crimes launched a wine based drink in the UK called Calimocho, inspired by the Spanish kalimotxo, the equal parts mix of red wine and cola. The brand said its versions include Shiraz and cola, plus a white wine and lemon variant, both sold in 75cl bottles at 9% abv.

That does not mean every TikTok wine mix is interchangeable. Wine Enthusiast’s spritzer guidance emphasizes that soda water lightens wine without adding much sweetness, while flavored sodas create a fuller shift in taste. A tart white wine can stay recognizable with bubbles and a mild fruit soda, but cola or lemon soda pushes the drink closer to a cocktail.

For home cooks and hosts, that distinction matters. A soda water spritzer is closer to stretching a glass of wine for a warm afternoon. A wine and cola or wine and apple soda mix is more of a party drink, with the soda acting as a true mixer rather than just a fizzy top off.

What it means for home entertaining

The practical appeal is easy to see. These drinks use a short ingredient list, do not require special tools, and can turn an everyday bottle into something more casual. Food & Wine also noted that adding soda partially dilutes the wine, making the apple soda version a lower alcohol option than a full strength pour.

There is also a style shift behind the trend. Wine Enthusiast has reported that TikTok can turn wine into a more approachable, less formal category, especially for younger drinkers who may already be comfortable with hard seltzers, canned cocktails, and sweet fizzy flavors.

That does not mean every combination will land with every palate. The same coverage makes clear that some viral wine drinks attract curiosity precisely because they sound a little wrong. But the better examples tend to follow an old rule, pairing wine with bubbles, sweetness, or citrus in ways that already have a track record.

For anyone trying the trend at home, the most grounded takeaway is simple: start with a wine you do not mind mixing, keep the ingredients cold, and match the soda to the style of wine. TikTok may be making the combinations feel new, but the best of them are really updated versions of spritzers and Spanish wine coolers that have been around for years.