Goodbye Mr Chips: Doritos creator dies at 97... and his family wants to sprinkle them over his body before he is buried

Inventor: Arch West, creator of the Dorito corn chip, died on September 20, aged 97

The family of the man who created Doritos are to bury dozens of the chips next to his ashes, they have revealed.



Relatives of Arch West said that they would scatter Doritos in the grave before placing the urn containing his remains inside and covering it over with dirt.



It is not clear if the family are following Mr West’s last requests or if they took it upon themselves to make the 'tribute'.

But the intent appears to be to honour the man who created what became almost overnight one of the most popular snacks in the U.S.



It was back in 1961 that Mr West, who has died of natural causes at the age of 97, was on a family holiday in San Diego when he was struck by the tasty fried tortilla chips he tried at a food truck.

He came up with the idea for a new snack which he called 'Dorito' as it sounded like 'doradito', or 'little golden' in Spanish.

The marketing executive at Frito-Lay, the U.S. snack food giant where he worked, were initially unsure but the product was an immediate success following its launch in 1964.

Now his family are turning to the thing that he created in an attempt to honour his life.



His daughter Jana Hacker said: 'We are tossing Doritos chips in before they put the dirt over the urn.

'He'll love it.'

Tasty idea: Mr West was on holiday in San Diego in 1961 when he was struck by the fried tortilla chips he tried at a food truck, and came up with Doritos

Born in Indianapolis, Mr West was put in a Masonic home after his father died and his mother was unable to cope.



A HISTORY ON AMERICA'S FIRST TORTILLA CHIP

Arch West was on holiday in San Diego in 1961 when he was struck by the tasty fried tortilla chips he tried at a food truck

He came up with the idea for a new snack which he called 'Dorito' as it sounded like 'doradito', or 'little golden' in Spanish

The first national tortilla chip brand in the U.S. was an instant hit when it launched in 1964 by Frito-Lay

The company's first television commercial for Doritos showed teenagers playing guitars as the announcer said: 'What's the biggest news since the Big Beat? Doritos are a swinging, Latin sort of snack.'

In 2002, Frito-Lay removed all the trans fat from Doritos in an attempt to bat off criticism they are unhealthy

In 2003 the company was sued by American Charles Grady who said the shape of the chip cut his throat, although the lawsuit did not succeed

His first career job was as a cheese salesman but he gave that up to join the Navy in 1943 and serve as a gunnery officer.



After World War II ended he returned to marketing and while at Frito-Lay came up with the idea for Doritos.



The company's first television commercial for Doritos showed teenagers playing guitars as the announcer said: 'What's the biggest news since the Big Beat? Doritos are a swinging, Latin sort of snack.'



It was the first national tortilla chip brand in the U.S. and is now amongst the most well-known brands in the world.



But the Doritos story has not always been a success - in 2003 the company was sued by American Charles Grady who said the shape of the chip cut his throat, although the lawsuit did not succeed.



The year before Frito-Lay had removed all the trans fat from Doritos in an attempt to bat off criticism they are unhealthy.



Mr West’s funeral will take place on October 1 in Dallas, Texas.

