FACT CHECK: Does Frito-Lay Plan To Cease Production Of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos In 2022?

A viral Facebook post shared over 12,000 times claims the production of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos will cease in 2022.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence to support this claim. Frito-Lay, the company that owns the Cheetos brand, has refuted this rumor.

Fact Check:

There has been some speculation on social media about Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, a popular bagged snack known for its spicy flavor, suffering from a shortage, according to The Sun. Now, an image alleges the product is being discontinued come 2022. It features a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos followed by text that reads, “RIP Flaming Hots 1991- 2021.”

“There will be NO more Hot Cheetos made in 2022…until further notice,” states the post’s caption. “More than likely they’ll be DISCONTINUED FOREVER.” (RELATED: Did Keurig Dr Pepper Vow Not To Impose A COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate On Its Employees?)

In reality, Frito-Lay, the PepsiCo subsidiary that owns the Cheetos brand, has not expressed plans to stop making Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in 2022. No such announcement appears in any of Frito-Lay’s press releases.

“We’re still producing Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot,” the company told Check Your Fact on Twitter. “This product is not being discontinued.”

The company tweeted in April 2020 that it had temporarily stopped producing Cheetos Crunchy XXTRA Flamin’ Hot. However, that product and Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot are both available for purchase on the Cheetos brand website at press time.

This is not the first time baseless rumors about a popular product being discontinued have spread online. In 2020, Check Your Fact debunked a viral claim that alleged PepsiCo was discontinuing the Mountain Dew product line over long-term health concerns.

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