Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Frito-Lay, Incorporated Records

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1263
Creators:
Capitol Frito Co., Inc.
Dates:
1898-2009, undated
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some materials in
Spanish
.
Physical Description:
4 Cubic feet
Repository:
Collection documents the history and business activities of Frito-Lay, Incorporated and the Doolin family, creators of the company. Materials consist primarily of correspondence, photographs, financial papers, scrapbooks, product packaging, advertisements, company newsletters, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and magazine articles.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Collection consists of materials relating to Frito-Lay, Incorporated's manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and selling of the snack food Fritos. The papers are particularly important in documenting the history of the company, employee relations, and community activities. The personal papers and business records of the Doolin family and their other business ventures can also be found among the materials. Materials include photographs, correspondence, property documents, annual reports, patents, financial records, recipe books, product packaging, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, interview transcripts, menus, company newsletters, advertising, and scrapbooks. The collection is arranged into six series: Subseries 1.1, Charles Bernard (CB) Doolin, 1898-1933; Series 2, Frito-Lay, Incorporated Records, 1934-2008, undated; Series 3, Rio Vista Farm Records, 1948-1965; Series 4, Scrapbooks, 1951, undated; Series 5, Other Materials, undated; and Series 6, Reference Books, 1902-1958, undated.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is divided in six series.
Series 1: Doolin Family Papers, 1898-2009, undated
Subseries 1.1, Charles Bernard (CB) Doolin, 1898-1933
Subseries 1.2, Daisy Dean Stephenson Doolin, 1927-1951
Subseries 1.3, Charles Elmer (CE) Doolin, 1920-1959
Subseries 1.4, Mary Kathryn "Kitty" Coleman Doolin, 1952-2009
Subseries 1.5, Kate Irwin, 1915-2009
Subseries 1.6, Photographs and Artwork, undated
Series 2, Frito Company Records, 1934-2008, undated
Subseries 2.1, History and Background, 1934-2008, undated
Subseries 2.2, Office Files, 1941-1993, undated
Subseries 2.3, Sales and Marketing, 1939, undated
Series 3, Rio Vista Farm Records, 1948-1965
Series 4, Scrapbooks, 1951, undated
Series 5, Other Materials, undated
Series 6, Reference Books, 1902-1958, undated

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The Doolin family began manufacturing the snack food fritos from the kitchen and garage of the San Antonio, Texas family home in 1932. This business venture was the result of Charles Elmer (CE) Doolin's (1903-1959) purchase of the original recipe for a fried corn chip. Under the name the Frito Corporation, the family expanded the business to include plants in Dallas, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Los Angeles, California; and Denver, Colorado. As the company grew so too did the product line. In the 1960s the company merged with H. W. Lay and Company to become Frito-Lay and then later with the Pepsi-Cola Company.

Administration

Author
Vanessa Broussard-Simmons
Processing Information
Processed by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, supervisory archivist, July, 2012
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Kaleta Doolin in 2011 and 2012.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Preferred Citation
Frito-Lay, Incorporated Records, 1892-2009, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

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