There's just one problem: Montañez didn't invent Flamin' Hot Cheetos, according to interviews with more than a dozen former Frito-Lay employees, the archival record and Frito-Lay itself. "None of our records show that Richard was involved in any capacity in the Flamin' Hot test market," Frito-Lay wrote in a statement to The Times, in response to questions about an internal investigation whose existence has not been previously disclosed. "We have interviewed multiple personnel who were involved in the test market, and all of them indicate that Richard was not involved in any capacity in the test market. "That doesn't mean we don't celebrate Richard," the statement continued, "but the facts do not support the urban legend."
Flamin' Hot
The inspiring true story of Richard Montañez, a janitor at Frito Lay, who used his Mexican heritage to revolutionize the food industry and turn Flamin' Hot Cheetos into a global pop culture phenomenon.
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