Cheetos, the irresistibly cheesy and crunchy snack that has become a staple in American snack culture, owe their inception to an innovative use of surplus technology from World War II. In 1948, Charles Elmer Doolin, the founder of the Frito Company, which would later become part of Frito-Lay, was on the lookout for a new product to complement his line of corn chips and snacks. At that time, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had developed a technique for dehydrating cheese, originally intended to preserve dairy products for military rations during the war. Seizing on this technology, Doolin began experimenting with a way to apply this powdered cheese to a snack.
The result of Doolin's innovation was the Cheeto, a puffed corn snack coated in a bright orange cheese powder. The original Cheetos were quite different from today’s version, both in texture and flavor, but they offered a unique taste that was immediately popular. Mass production began shortly after the initial experimentation, marking the beginning of what would become a widespread snack phenomenon. The unique texture of Cheetos, created by extruding cornmeal through a machine, combined with its cheesy flavor, quickly made them a favorite among snack foods.
Over the years, Cheetos have evolved, with new flavors and varieties being introduced to cater to changing consumer tastes. From spicy options like Flamin' Hot Cheetos to iterations that incorporate lime and other flavors, the brand has expanded significantly. Despite these changes, the core appeal of Cheetos remains its cheesy goodness and distinctive crunch that can be traced back to Doolin’s original use of powdered cheese.
Cheetos not only highlight an interesting post-war shift in culinary experimentation but also exemplify the way innovations can be transferred between seemingly unrelated fields—from military supplies to snack foods. Today, Cheetos holds a beloved place in the pantheon of American snacks, largely thanks to Charles Elmer Doolin’s entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to adapt military technology for the commercial market.
