Doritos (IPAEng: dəˈriːɾoʊz) is a brand of flavored tortilla chips produced since 1966 by the American food company Frito-Lay (a division of PepsiCo, Inc.). Doritos are sold in many countries worldwide in assorted flavors. The chips are made of ground corn, corn oil, and seasoning.

The brand's marketing campaigns have included many television commercials featuring Avery Schreiber, Jay Leno, and Ali Landry, as well as product placement in movies, such as Wayne's World and has also sponsored the mock presidential campaign of Stephen Colbert.

History

When they were released in the United States in 1966, they became the first tortilla chip to be launched nationally. The name is Spanish for "little bits of gold" and was likely chosen because it rhymed with Cheetos, another popular Frito-Lay snack.Smith (2006), p. 78.

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 behind the change was " greater competition from restaurant-style tortilla chips, that are larger and more strongly seasoned". 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.

Frito-Lay eliminated trans-fats from all Doritos varieties in 2002. The same year, the Doritos brand began complying with U.S. Food and Drug Administration labelling regulations, four years before the regulations became mandatory.

The company was sued in 2003 by Charles Grady, who claimed that his throat had been damaged because of eating Doritos. According to him, the shape and rigidity of the chips made them inherently dangerous. Grady attempted to admit into evidence a study by a former chemistry professor that calculated how best to safely swallow the chips. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court later ruled that the study did not meet scientific standards and could not be presented as evidence.

In 2005, Dorito sales in the United States fell by 1.7% to $595 million. To increase sales in 2006, the company launched several new flavors, a new label, and more bilingual advertising. Frito-Lay vice president Joe Ennen described this as ""the most significant rebranding and relaunch in Doritos' 38-year history".