“The facts do not support the urban legend,” Frito-Lay tells the LA Times
Samson Amore | May 16, 2021 @ 4:07 PM
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The viral origin story of how Flamin’ Hot Cheetos came to be may not be true.
Richard Montañez has been telling people for almost a decade that he’s the unlikely mastermind behind the creation of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto brand, but a new exposé in the Los Angeles Times reports Montañez actually had nothing to do with the idea.
According to the LA Times, Montañez’s story — that he rose through the ranks at Frito-Lay from janitor to executive after pitching the idea for the spicy snack to PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico and a room of over 100 suits — isn’t true.