Flamin' Hot Cheetos are displayed outside La Azteca Market in South Los Angeles on August 22, 2008. On July 18, 2024, the man who claims to have invented these spicy snacks filed a lawsuit against his former employers, Frito-Lay and PepsiCo. He alleges fraud, defamation, and other wrongs, saying they hurt him by denying his involvement in creating the popular treat. (AP Photo)
A legal showdown is brewing over who truly invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, one of the most popular snack flavours. Richard Montañez, a former PepsiCo employee, has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of destroying his career after challenging his claim that he created the fiery flavour.
Montañez, who started with PepsiCo in 1977 as a janitor at the Frito-Lay plant in Rancho Cucamonga, California, has a colourful story. Raised in a migrant labour camp by Mexican immigrant parents, Montañez’s life took a significant turn when a machine breakdown left a batch of plain Cheetos at his plant. Taking the opportunity, he experimented by coating the Cheetos with chilli powder to mimic the taste of elote, a popular Mexican street food made with seasoned grilled corn.
In 1991, Montañez saw potential in his spicy creation and requested a meeting with PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico. His pitch was successful; Enrico was impressed and directed the company to develop the spicy Cheetos. According to Montañez, the company then embraced his story, using it to boost the product's appeal, especially among Latino consumers.
Flamin’ Hot Cheetos were launched in 1992, and Montañez’s career with PepsiCo took off. He continued to innovate, working on other spicy snacks like Flamin’ Hot Popcorn and Lime and Chili Fritos. His efforts led to a promotion to business development manager and eventually to vice president of multicultural marketing and sales.
Montañez retired from PepsiCo in 2019 to pursue a career as a motivational speaker. His memoir and the film "Flamin' Hot," released in 2023, further spotlighted his story. However, Montañez claims that PepsiCo’s support dwindled in 2021 when a Los Angeles Times article suggested that others within the company were developing spicy snacks before Montañez’s involvement and that they were credited with creating the Flamin’ Hot brand.
Feeling betrayed, Montañez argues that PepsiCo’s actions have damaged his reputation and career opportunities, including a potential documentary about his life. He is now seeking damages for what he alleges are acts of discrimination, fraud, and defamation.
