Doritos (
/dɵˈriːtoʊz/) is a brand of seasoned
tortilla chips created by Arch West and produced since 1964 by the American food company
Frito-Lay (a division of
PepsiCo, Inc.).
[1] "Doritos" were released in the United States in 1964, the first tortilla chip to be launched nationally. The word "dorito" means "little golden" in Spanish.
According to Information Resources International, in 1993, Doritos earned $1.3 billion in retail sales, one-third of the total Frito-Lay sales for the year. This made the chip the leading seller in the snack category, which also comprises cookies, crackers, cakes, and candies. Nevertheless, in the costliest redesign in Frito-Lay history, in 1994 the company spent $50 million to redesign Doritos to make the chips 20% larger and 15% thinner. Roger J. Berdusco, the vice president of tortilla chip marketing, said a primary reason for the change was " greater competition from restaurant-style tortilla chips, that are larger and more strongly seasoned".
[2] The design change was the result of a two-year market research study that involved 5,000 chip eaters. The new design gave each chip rounded corners, making it easier to eat and reducing the scrap resulting from broken corners. Each chip was also given more seasoning, resulting in a stronger flavor. The improved chips were released in four flavors beginning in January 1995.
[2] Frito-Lay eliminated
trans fat from all Doritos varieties in 2002. The same year, the...
