**1. History and Company Background:**
– Cheetos were invented in 1948 by the creator of Fritos.
– National distribution began in the U.S. in 1948.
– Frito Company merged with H.W. Lay & Company in 1961.
– Frito-Lay became a subsidiary of PepsiCo in 1965.
– Worldwide annual retail sales of Cheetos are approximately $4 billion.
**2. Products and Distribution:**
– Crunchy Cheetos were introduced in 1948, followed by Cheetos Puffs in 1971.
– Baked Cheetos have been available since 2004.
– There are 21 different Cheetos variants in the U.S. and localized versions for 36 countries.
– Variants like Pepsi-flavored Cheetos in Japan and limited editions like Sweetos in the U.S.
– Cheetos popcorn and mac n cheese were introduced in 2020.
**3. Flamin Hot Cheetos:**
– Developed in 1989 and introduced nationwide in 1992.
– Richard Montañez claimed invention in the early 1990s.
– It became a cultural phenomenon rejuvenating the brand.
– A biopic about the origin of Flamin Hot Cheetos is in development.
**4. Marketing and Branding:**
– Cheetos are sold in over 36 countries with various flavors and limited editions.
– Marketing strategies include collaborations, pop-up restaurants like The Spotted Cheetah, and unique variants.
– The mascot, Chester Cheetah, has evolved slogans over time.
– Advertising since 2008 focuses on adult themes of subversion and revenge.
**5. Recent Developments and Manufacturing:**
– Indofood CBP purchased Cheetos shares in 2021.
– Production of Lays, Cheetos, and Doritos stopped in Indonesia.
– Cheetos was renamed to Chiki in Indonesia.
– PepsiCo divisions market and distribute Cheetos globally.
– Manufacturing process involves blending corn and water, extrusion, flavoring, and drying in ovens or frying.
– Frito-Lay has 14 fried-Cheetos plants in 11 U.S. states as of 2010.
Cheetos (formerly styled as Chee-tos until 1998) is a crunchy corn puff snack brand made by Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Fritos creator Charles Elmer Doolin invented Cheetos in 1948, and began national distribution in the United States. The initial success of Cheetos was a contributing factor to the merger between The Frito Company and H.W. Lay & Company in 1961 to form Frito-Lay. In 1965 Frito-Lay became a subsidiary of The Pepsi-Cola Company, forming PepsiCo, the current owner of the Cheetos brand.
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| Product type | Cheese curl, popcorn, macaroni and cheese |
|---|---|
| Owner | PepsiCo (via Frito-Lay) |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1948 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | The Frito Company |
| Website | cheetos.com |
In 2010, Cheetos was ranked as the top selling brand of cheese puffs in its primary market of the U.S.; worldwide the annual retail sales totaled approximately $4 billion. The original Crunchy Cheetos are still in production but the product line has since expanded to include 21 different types of Cheetos in North America alone. As Cheetos are sold in more than 36 countries, the flavor and composition is often varied to match regional taste and cultural preferences—such as Savory American Cream in China, and Strawberry Cheetos in Japan.