As we say in the original episode, the reporting is based on the recollection of people at Frito-Lay roughly 30 years ago, as well as what the company told us, which it said was based, in part, on an earlier internal investigation. Elkins, Kathleen (March 27, 2018). "How Richard Montañez says he went from the factory floor to an exec at PepsiCo". CNBC. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023 . Retrieved June 22, 2023.

Of all the people who are in PepsiCo or around PepsiCo, I have the most experience,” he continued. “I can promise you for sure there was no brand development, no brand launched called Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” Carey said, adding that if there was a prior spicy product on the market, it was reformulated to match Montañez’s sample product. “The ingredients, that’s the magic of the product,” Carey said. Chinese Cheetos". The New York Times. 27 November 2006. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014 . Retrieved 3 December 2010. The U.S. News and World Report article from December 1993 focuses on businesses finding success by empowering their employees. The section on Frito-Lay talks about the plant in Rancho Cucamonga, where manager Steve Smith had taken up Enrico’s initiative and gotten more front-line workers thinking about how to improve the business as a whole. I love Cheetos! They are so addictive and tasty. I can’t stop eating them once I start. They have a nice crunch and a strong cheese flavor.”Cheetos Crunchos Sweet Chilli (165g) (EU): Experience the harmonious balance of sweetness and spice with Cheetos Crunchos Sweet Chilli. Each bite teases your palate with a burst of flavour, keeping you hooked. Cheetos Australia". PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009 . Retrieved 12 September 2011. Griffith, Eric (June 16, 2023). "Must Watch: The Most Streamed TV Shows and Movies This Week". PCMag UK. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022 . Retrieved June 23, 2023. a b c Stevenson, Seth (17 March 2008). "Chester's Got a Brand-New Bag". Slate. Archived from the original on 11 April 2011 . Retrieved 12 September 2011. The product that we know today as Flamin’ Hot Cheetos was definitely not out in the market” before his meeting with Montañez, Carey said. “That product was developed by those guys in the plant.”

But Montañez began taking public credit for inventing Flamin’ Hots in the late 2000s, nearly two decades after they were invented. First, he talked about it in speeches at local business and philanthropy award ceremonies. Then the online media, hungry for a feel-good story, took his claims viral. Nugent, John (June 12, 2023). "Flamin' Hot". Empire. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023 . Retrieved June 16, 2023.

The Engaging Story of Flamin Hot Cheetos

Cheetos Pops Into The New Year With Launch Of Cheetos Popcorn In Stores Nationwide". Cision (Press release). 9 January 2020 . Retrieved 10 January 2020. Frito-Lay records shared with The Times show that Montañez was promoted to a quality-control tech services specialist from 1998 to 2002, then left the plant and rose to a director-level position. He received a number of accolades from both community groups and PepsiCo CEOs along the way.

D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 20, 2023). "Eva Longoria's 'Flamin' Hot' Is First Feature To Hit Both Hulu & Disney+ In Streaming Debut". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023 . Retrieved March 20, 2023. PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) Company Description". Business Week. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013 . Retrieved 20 December 2010. Editor's note: We want to tell you more about this episode that we've learned since we first released it:

Though Flamin' Hot is advertised as a true story, [7] [8] [9] the authenticity of Montañez's account became doubtful after the Los Angeles Times published an in-depth article scrutinizing his claim, [2] with later corroboration by NPR. [10] Creation of Flamin' Hot Cheetos [ edit ] Dave McNary (August 26, 2019). Eva Longoria to Direct Biopic About Flamin' Hot Cheetos Creator. Variety. In April 2020, a new chief marketing officer, Rachel Ferdinando, appears in a CNBC video feature about Flamin’ Hot products. She stops short of calling Montañez the inventor of the product. a b c Hage, David; Grant, Linda (December 6, 1993). "How to make America work - Crunching rivals with resourceful workers". U.S. News & World Report. p.52 . Retrieved June 23, 2023. The story behind the Flamin' Hot Cheetos creator is great. Eva Longoria is making it into a movie". NBC News. August 28, 2019. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023 . Retrieved June 22, 2023.