For the past decade, Richard Montañez has captivated audiences with his tale of inventing Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. This story has become incredibly popular, with people devouring every detail. Montañez, a former janitor at Frito-Lay’s Rancho Cucamonga plant, came up with the idea for a chile-covered Cheeto and had the audacity to pitch it to the chief executive. Despite facing sabotage from corporate rivals, Montañez’s perseverance paid off. Flamin’ Hots became a massive success, and he quickly climbed the corporate ladder, becoming an inspiring figure.
What makes Montañez’s story so captivating is his charismatic speaking style and the fact that it embodies a classic rags-to-riches tale of a Mexican American who triumphed in the corporate world. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, with their distinct spicy flavor and bright red dusting, have even inspired viral rap videos, Instagrammable menu items, and trendy streetwear designs. The snack’s popularity has led to schools banning it due to concerns about its impact on children. While exact revenue figures are hard to come by, almost every major Frito-Lay product line now includes a Flamin’ Hot variety.
Montañez has leveraged the success of his story to build a lucrative career as a speaker, commanding fees of $10,000 to $50,000 per appearance at events for prestigious organizations like Target, Walmart, Harvard, and USC. His second memoir, titled “Flamin’ Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man’s Rise from Janitor to Top Executive,” will be released in June. Additionally, a biopic about his life, directed by Eva Longoria and produced by DeVon Franklin for Searchlight Pictures, is set to start filming this summer. The book and movie rights were sold after intense bidding wars, proving just how popular Montañez’s story has become.
However, there’s a twist to this tale. According to interviews with former Frito-Lay employees, official records, and Frito-Lay itself, Montañez did not actually invent Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. In response to questions about an undisclosed internal investigation, Frito-Lay stated, “None of our records show that Richard was involved in any capacity in the Flamin’ Hot test market.” Multiple personnel involved in the test market have confirmed that Montañez had no part in it. While Frito-Lay acknowledges and celebrates Montañez’s contributions to the company, they deny his claim of creating Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
The true origin story of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos can be traced back to a team of snack food professionals at Frito-Lay’s headquarters in Plano, Texas, starting in 1989. The product was specifically developed to compete with spicy snacks popular in inner-city mini-marts in the Midwest. Lynne Greenfeld, a junior employee with an MBA, played a crucial role in creating the brand, including coming up with the Flamin’ Hot name. Montañez did ascend in his career at Frito-Lay, transitioning from a plant worker to a marketing-focused director. He may have pitched new product initiatives that impacted his career trajectory.
It wasn’t until the late 2000s, almost two decades after Flamin’ Hots were created, that Montañez began publicly taking credit for inventing them. He initially discussed it during speeches at local business and philanthropy award ceremonies, which caught the attention of online media looking for feel-good stories. Frito-Lay, however, did not dispute his claims, even though most of the original Flamin’ Hot team had retired by that point. It wasn’t until 2018, when Lynne Greenfeld reached out to Frito-Lay after seeing Montañez taking credit, that an internal investigation was triggered. The investigation uncovered evidence that called Montañez’s story into question, leading Frito-Lay to assert that he did not create Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Despite Frito-Lay notifying the producers of Montañez’s biopic about the problems with his story in 2019, the movie was still announced with a cast in May. The producers of the film and the publisher of his latest book have not responded to requests for comment.
The real origin of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, according to former employees, records, and Frito-Lay, occurred on mini-mart shelves and in corporate offices, not in the enchanting story Montañez has been telling all these years.
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