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An Interview with ‘Flamin’ Hot’ Producer DeVon Franklin

It’s an existential question we’ve all pondered in our quiet moments: Where did Flamin’ Hot Cheetos come from?

OK, maybe that’s not the question that keeps us awake at night. But maybe now that you’ve thought about, you might be wondering, “Yeah, where did Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (and Doritos and Fritos, etc.) come from?”

Turns out these spicy snacks have their own origin story—a story that’s now playing on Disney+ and Hulu in the movie Flamin’ Hot. There, we learn how a humble janitor named Richard Montañez had an idea to make his company’s products more appealing to Hispanics. And while almost everyone mocked him, PepsiCo/Frito Lay CEO Roger Enrico wanted to hear about Richard’s brainstorm—an idea that proved to be worth literally billions of dollars.

When Christian movie producer DeVon Franklin heard Richard’s story, he knew it wasn’t just the stuff of a tasty snack: It was a movie. I’ll talk with DeVon about that movie, where the idea came from, and exactly what a producer does to bring an inspiring story to the big screen.

I think you’ll enjoy DeVon’s behind-the-scenes origin story of how Flamin’ Hot came into existence. So take a look!

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.