PepsiCo Just Won A Big Case Regarding Origin Of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

Back in July 2024, it was announced that Flamin’ Hot Cheetos inventor Richard Montanez was suing PepsiCo, alleging the company committed fraud, defamation, racial discrimination, and violated California’s unfair competition law. Montanez filed a 62-page complaint detailing his grievances, aiming to secure a jury trial, restitution, and an order that requires PepsiCo and Frito-Lay to name him as the inventor of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. 

Fast forward to May 28, 2025, PepsiCo appears to have emerged the victor in this heated case. The US District Court for the Central District of California granted PepsiCo and Frito-Lay’s motion for dismissal, due to Montanez’s failure to provide additional facts that support his case. He was given until June 13 to amend it, while PepsiCo had until July 3 to counter. 

Before retiring from the company in 2019, Montanez worked as vice president of multicultural marketing and sales at PepsiCo. As of now, it’s unclear how Montanez will respond to the dismissal or if he will be officially credited as the inventor of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.