Quick Hit:

The creator of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is suing PepsiCo, alleging the company falsely denied his role in developing the popular snack, causing harm to his career.

Key Details:

• Richard Montañez, a former PepsiCo executive, filed a lawsuit on July 18, 2024, against the company for fraud, defamation, and other violations.

• Montañez claims he invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in 1991, but PepsiCo disputes this, asserting others were already working on the product.

• PepsiCo has not commented on the ongoing litigation.

Diving Deeper:

A legal battle could soon determine who truly invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Richard Montañez, who began his career at PepsiCo as a janitor in 1977, is suing the company, alleging it destroyed his career by disputing his claim that he created the iconic snack.

Montañez, the son of a Mexican immigrant, worked at PepsiCo's Frito-Lay plant in Ranch Cucamonga, California. His journey began when a machine breakdown left a batch of unflavored Cheetos. Inspired by elote, a popular Mexican street food, Montañez took the batch home, dusted them with chili powder, and envisioned the spicy Cheetos as a hit with the Latino community.

In 1991, Montañez secured a meeting with PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico to pitch his idea. According to Montañez, Enrico was impressed and directed the company to develop the product, leading to the launch of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in 1992. Montañez's innovative approach earned him several promotions, eventually becoming PepsiCo's vice president of multicultural marketing and sales.

Montañez’s story gained significant attention, leading to speaking engagements and the publication of a memoir in 2021. His life story was even made into a movie, “Flamin’ Hot,” in 2023. However, the tides turned in 2021 when PepsiCo cooperated with a Los Angeles Times article that questioned Montañez’s role, claiming others were already developing spicy snacks and coined the name “Flamin’ Hot.”

Montañez alleges this shift damaged his reputation, resulting in lost opportunities and a decline in his speaking career. He is seeking damages for discrimination, fraud, and defamation.

PepsiCo has not commented on the lawsuit, leaving the court to decide the rightful origin of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The outcome of this case could settle the long-standing dispute and clarify Montañez's contributions to the snack industry.

"Richard Montañez" by COD Newsroom licensed under (CC BY-SA 2.0)