What's the real story behind Flamin' Hot Cheetos, the spicy snack food that's taking over America?
How did they come to be, and why are they so popular?
The true story behind Flamin' Hot Cheetos might surprise you.
Flamin' Hot Cheetos were the brainchild of Richard Montañez, and unlike most snack-food
creators, he was no lab coat-wearing food scientist.
He was a janitor at a Frito-Lay plant, but was also interested in how the business was
run, especially after a company-wide message from the CEO encouraging each employee to
act like an owner of the company to feel personally invested in its success.
That inspired Montañez to think outside the box.
One day, the machine that made Cheetos accidentally spit out a batch that was totally unseasoned.
Montañez took them home and did some experimentation.
He had noticed that Cheetos didn't have any spicy flavors, so he seasoned the plain corn
puffs he had gotten with spices and chili powder.
He then, boldly, called the CEO of the company, who was so impressed by Montañez's initiative
that he set up a meeting for him to present his invention.
The CEO was sold, and within six months, Flamin' Hot Cheetos were being tested.
In 1992, they were released nationally.
The snack became legendary, and these days, Montañez is the VP of multicultural sales
for PepsiCo, the parent company of Frito-Lay.
Not only was Montañez a janitor, but he was also a high school dropout.
Growing up, he found it difficult to understand his teachers at school.
English wasn't his first language, and he didn't have an easy time learning it.
As a result, he decided to drop out of high school, and soon after entered the workforce.
Aspirations weren't very high in his small community outside of Ontario, California.
Most of his peers only hoped to grow up and work in the town's factory, which is exactly
where he ended up.
Montañez had different dreams for himself though: He wanted to drive a garbage truck.
That wasn't meant to be, of course, but the janitor job he ended up with took him farther
than any trash truck could have.Today, Montañez helps provide college scholarships for young
Latinos.
He explained to Fox News Latino,
"Latinos who have made it like myself have a responsibility to open doors to younger
generations and teach them that they can do it."
Richard Montañez knew he had a great idea on his hands when he realized that, in the
snack aisle of his local convenience store, there weren't any products marketed to the
Latino people who frequented it.
Montañez, the son of Mexican immigrants, suddenly found inspiration.
When Montañez was enjoying some elotes, he decided that the combination of cheese and
chili powder would also taste great on Cheetos.
Montañez said that at the time,
"Nobody had given any thought to the Latino market...But everywhere I looked, I saw it
ready to explode."
The product went on to be a huge success, Montañez moved his way up the ranks at PepsiCo.
Not only has he worked with PepsiCo brands including KFC and Taco Bell to help them market
to consumers in the Latin community, but he also does community outreach and works to
help students of Latin American heritage go to college.
"Some of you, sometimes, are waiting for someone to say, 'I give you permission to be great.'
If you're waiting for that day, then guess what, I'm giving you permission to be great."
The story of how Richard Montañez invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos is pretty cinematic.
A janitor who couldn't read inventing a multi-million dollar product and going on to become a vice
president at PepsiCo?
Think of the drama: the formulation of the idea, the bold call to the CEO, the nerve-racking
first presentation, and joy of his success.
It's a story that has everything, and Hollywood seems to agree, because there's going to be
a Flamin' Hot Cheetos movie.
The film will trace the story of Montañez's life, from family farm hand and elementary
school burrito salesman, to janitor, inventor, and businessman.
The movie, Flamin' Hot, is set to be directed by Eva Longoria, who may be best known for
her role as Gabrielle on Desperate Housewives, but has also directed several short films
and episodes of TV shows including Jane the Virgin.
Longoria expressed her excitement about the project on Twitter, where she said,
"It's my privilege...to bring the story of Flamin Hot Cheetos (which we all love!) to
life!"
If you've ever felt the urge to keep eating Hot Cheetos until they're gone, it's not just
you.
The chemical makeup of Cheetos really does trick the brain into wanting more.
Some of it has to do with their texture.
Apparently, the puffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture of Cheetos tricks the brain into thinking
that the food is low-calorie, a phenomenon called "vanishing caloric density."
That means your brain doesn't stop you from eating it because it doesn't seem like substantial
food.
Another hypothesis is that Flamin' Hot Cheetos are what's called "hyperpalatable," thanks
to their combination of sugar, salt, and fat.
Eating those foods can cause the body to release natural opiates, opioids generated by your
body, or endorphins, and the capsaicin in the chili powder used to season Flamin' Hot
Cheetos can apparently maximize the opiate release when you eat them.
A handful of school districts in three states, California, Illinois, and New Mexico, have
banned Flamin' Hot Cheetos, both because they aren't nutritious, and because they, quote,
"may create a brain response similar to what is seen in individuals who are addicted to
illicit substances."
Kids have reported gastrointestinal distress, and some have gone to the ER after eating
the fiery red snack food and seeing what they thought was blood in their stool, only to
discover that the red dye in the Cheetos caused the discoloration.
"So these kids are eating them, and they're having a lot of pain.
It's because the amount of acid is more than the stomach, and also the esophagus, can handle."
Though the red dye itself isn't harmful, some doctors worry that it's a sign children are
over-eating the "hyperpalatable" snack.
A doctor at St. Louis Children's Hospital explained,
"Our stool doesn't usually become discolored unless you eat huge amounts of [red dye, but]
Flamin' Hot Cheetos is one food that people will eat enormous amounts of and will see
a change in their stool."
Frito-Lay doesn't sell products directly to schools, and it doesn't actively market snacks
to kids ages 12 and under, but that hasn't stopped kids from getting their hands on Flamin'
Hot Cheetos, so for some schools, the ban felt necessary.
Kids may not know about the nutritional value, or lack thereof, of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, but
even adults can't seem to stop themselves from binging on the crunchy, spicy, salty
snack.
Just look at rapper Lil Xan.
He ended up in the hospital in September of 2018 because, according to a since-deleted
Instagram post,
"I guess I ate too many hot Cheetos, and it ripped something in my stomach open."
Lil Xan added that he apparently vomited some blood and that Hot Cheetos are, quote, "a
hell of a drug."
There was some speculation as to whether or not eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos could actually
send someone to the hospital, and conspiracy theorizing that the whole thing was one big
marketing campaign.
While it's rare that eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos could, on its own, cause a tear in the stomach,
some doctors confirmed that if someone already has digestive issues, eating spicy foods of
any kind can make them worse.
If Lil Xan had an ulcer or some other previously existing stomach condition, then yes, eating
a ton of Flamin' Hot Cheetos or another super-spicy food could do some damage, but healthy people
who are eating their favorite spicy snack food in moderation shouldn't have to worry
about it.
In 2017, Cheetos opened The Spotted Cheetah in New York City, a pop-up restaurant helmed
by celeb chef Anne Burrell.
The food wasn't your usual "pour gas station nacho cheese into a bag of hot Cheetos" concoctions,
but rather an upscale look at how they can be incorporated into more sophisticated takes
on comfort food dishes.
In 2018, a second Flamin' Hot Cheetos pop-up, The Flamin' Hot Spot, set up shop in Hollywood.
It was even more flashy, with bad-boy restaurateur Roy Choi in charge of the menu.
It featured dishes like a Flamin' Hot Cheetos-crusted chicken wings, Cheetos Crunchy Xxtra Flamin'
Hot Sweet N' Spicy Chili Meatballs, Flamin' Hot Cheetos Elotes in a nice nod to the legendary
origins of the snack, and even a Flamin' Hot Cheetos-infused chocolate shake.
Flamin' Hot Cheetos have made appearances in more casual restaurants, too.
There are entire guides showing hungry diners where they can get some Flamin' Hot Cheetos
in their meal in Los Angeles, and for a while Taco Bell was serving up Flamin' Hot Cheetos
Crunchwrap Sliders, proof that it's a more versatile ingredient than one might think.
A collaboration between the Cheetos brand and fashion company Forever 21 turned up the
sartorial heat when it debuted in June of 2019.
Cheetos x Forever 21 is a 21-item apparel collection featuring all sorts of accessories
for those who are willing to suffer through the spicy bliss of Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
Though some of the items are inspired by the plain jane Cheetos, other items sport red
flames in honor of the spicier snack.
There were joggers with a "Flamin' Hot" design down the side, Flamin' Hot Cheetos crew socks,
a Flamin' Hot bodysuit, a Flamin' Hot Cheetos tube dress, and a selection of trendy Leopard
print, or should we say Cheetah print, clothes.
Unfortunately, not even a spicy line of Flamin' Hot clothing could save Forever 21.
In the fall of 2019, Forever 21 announced it was closing 7,000 stores and wound up filing
for bankruptcy protection.
A few pieces from the Flamin' Hot Cheetos line were still being sold in stores and online
as of early 2020, though not everything was still available on the Forever 21 website.
But at least you know there's always eBay.
Hopefully a second-hand pair of Cheetos socks doesn't end up costing as much as the Cheeto
purportedly shaped like highly-memed gorilla Harambe, which almost sold for nearly $100,000
before the seller backed out.
In another viral campaign, Flamin' Hot Cheetos decided to hit the runway at New York Fashion
Week in 2019, with a debut collection from the "House of Flamin' Haute."
The collection was curated by fashion influencers Luanna, Hungry Hipsters, Alexa Jade, and J.
Bolin, and costume designer Ami Goodheart closed out the show.
Everything at the show, from the models' hair and makeup to their accessories and clothes,
was inspired by the Flamin' Hot snack.
The clothing on the runway featured lots of bold reds and oranges, and no one shied away
from the Flamin' Hot Cheetos logos.
Some models even had cheetah print dyed hair, in honor of Chester Cheetah, himself a fashion
icon.
The night wasn't just about watching the fashion show, though.
For guests, there were small bites and cocktails infused with Flamin' Hot Cheetos, and there
was even a Flamin' Hot Cheetos style bar where fans could get their makeup and nails done
in the Flamin' Haute style.
Red eyeliner, powdery orange nails, and cheetah print hair were the looks of the night.
The man behind Flamin' Hot Cheetos didn't stop at just changing the world of snacks.
Now, he's made it his mission to change the world.
Richard Montañez travels the country as a public speaker, addressing the importance
of multiculturalism and diversity in industry.
It's no surprise that many conferences and companies seek to have Montañez as a speaker.
Not only can he speak to the importance of valuing all employees, regardless of race
or origin, but also to the importance of hard work, persistence, and just plain putting
yourself out there.
Montañez didn't limit his goals based on his background, and he's made it his job to
make sure that today's youth don't either.
"I've got something to say, and I want to say it to the young people."
His work has also garnered him several awards and recognitions, including being named as
one of the most influential Hispanics in corporate America by Hispanic Lifestyle magazine.
Montañez has also been invited to the White House on several occasions, and has presented
at a special United Nations event.
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