Do you know how Flamin’ Hot Cheetos were invented? According to Richard Montañez, he invented them while working as a janitor at a Frito-Lay factory in Rancho Cucamonga. He was inspired by the spicy flavors of Latine street food and then took the bold step of calling the chief executive of Frito-Lay himself. He went from janitor to executive to motivational speaker by embracing his heritage and believing in himself. The debut of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos came at a time when PepsiCo was fighting for its life on multiple fronts of the food and beverage market. The company needed a product that could compete with the Anheuser-Busch-owned Eagle Snacks brand.
Now, there are claims that his story is a complete fabrication. Frito-Lay claims that the iconic, neon-red chip was created by a product committee in 1989. This was in order to fight Eagle Snacks in the Midwest. More specifically, it was in order to capitalize on the rise of inner-city bodegas. To be clear, Montañez did rise from plant worker to marketing director. Frito-Lay just refutes that he invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. But where’s the fun in corporate brand marketing?
“Flamin’ Hot” Tells Montañez’s Side Of The Story
Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) brings Montañez’s origin story of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto to life in her directorial debut. This is the story of a former gang member trying to turn his life around. With the Frito-Lay factory where he works under threat of closure, Montañez embraces the “it burns in a good way” spiciness of Latine cuisine to create a snack that will save the factory.
Jesse Garcia (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series) stars as Montañez. He’s a family man with a troubled past and a heart of gold. Annie Gonzalez stars as Montañez’s ever-supportive wife, Judy. Additionally, there are big-name actors in major supporting roles. Dennis Haysbert (Far From Heaven, 24) plays Clarence, a fellow janitor who helps Montañez find his courage. Meanwhile, Tony Shalhoub (Monk, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) takes on the role of Pepsico executive and Cheetos brand manager, Roger Enrico. While its authenticity may be questionable, Flamin’ Hot is set to be a heart-warming and tongue-tingling look at believing in yourself. Flamin’ Hot comes to Hulu on June 9.
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