Arch West

Archibald Clark "Arch" West (September 8, 1914 – September 20, 2011) was an American marketing executive credited with the development of Doritos, a brand of seasoned tortilla chips. The successful snack food was marketed as an alternative to the more traditional potato chips. Doritos are now Frito-Lay's second best-selling item, bested only by Lay's Potato Chips. An estimated five billion dollars in Doritos are sold every year worldwide.

West was born on September 8, 1914, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents, James and Jessie West, were immigrants from Scotland. West and his brother were raised at a Masonic home because his mother was too impoverished to care for them.

He received a bachelor's degree in business from Franklin College in Indiana in 1936. West was also a member of Kappa Delta Rho during his time at FC. West then served in the United States Navy in the Pacific theater during World War II as a gunnery officer.

He began his career at Standard Brands, where he worked as a traveling sales representative. West then switched careers to advertising, based in New York City. His early portfolio included the Jell-O ad campaign.

Arch West joined the staff of the Frito Company, now called Frito-Lay, in 1960. (Pepsi acquired Frito-Lay in 1965.) West is widely credited for the invention and development of one of the company's signature products, Doritos. According to West's daughter, Jana Hacker, West first envisioned the idea of Doritos in the early 1960s while working as Frito's vice president of marketing. West was vacationing with his family in San Diego, California, in 1961, when he noticed customers at a small, roadside restaurant eating corn chips that had been deep fried. West reportedly enjoyed the taste of this type of snack food.

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