Adios Twinkie

[gfweb]

Hostess Brands is going out of business. I won't miss twinkies and ding dongs (Tastykake does much better), but the fruit pies were a nice thing (esp lemon). Some company might buy the brands, I suppose.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/NATL-Twinkies-Maker-Hostess-Going-Out-of-Business-179643161.html

Edited November 16, 2012 by gfweb (log)

[Darienne]

Twinkies came into the USA in 1930. I don't know when they reached Canada. I've never had one. Nor a Ding Dong. DH can't recall ever eating one either. Life will go on I guess. Actually I've never had a Tastykake either and until gfweb's post had never heard of them either. I've led a very sheltered life.

[rlibkind]

Twinkies likely won't disappear, nor other big Hostess Brands products. (I hope Snowballs are among these, but I doubt it.)

Why:

The company will auction off these products, and the big sellers will be snapped up by its more solvent competitors, including Flowers Foods (Tastycakes new owner), Bimbo Bakeries, and McKee Foods (Little Debbie), among others.

[lancastermike]

I agree with Bob Libkind. the brands aere well established and certainly have value. These items certainly will continue to be produced by somebody in some fachion

[radtek]

This is a type of food in my opinion that should be laid to rest anyway. Agreed though that they'll certainly be taken up by another company hoping to cash in on the name and product.

[David Ross]

Aside from crafting Ice Wine Gels encasing Foie Gras, I have also savored a few Suzie Q's and Twinkies in my time. Sensing the end was near, this morning I bought what may be one last box of both these cherished snack cakes. And yes, I am being serious here. This isn't a ruse, nor is it a tongue in cheek post. I've loved those cakes for over 50 years and still buy them on occasion. Yes friends, I can eat a white truffle from Alba one day and a Hostess Twinkie the next--and love both.

[janeer]

I do expect most of the brands to be purchased...But it is amazing to think of Hostess gone. Wonder Bread? Everyone knows, instantly, what that means, that's how iconic it was back in the day. I have not eaten any of their products in probably 45 years, but I will stop and pick up a few Snowballs or filled cupcakes or lemon pies or butterscotch crumpets (loved those) in tribute on my way home tonight

[annabelle]

Pabst is bidding to buy Hostess Brand.

Take heart, Dave Ross. Hostess products abound on eBay.

[David Ross]

I shall weep no more.

[annabelle]

Heh. Just trying to help.

[dcarch]

I think Hostess Twinkie was at one time a division of International Telephone & Telegraph.

dcarch

[judiu]

I do expect most of the brands to be purchased...But it is amazing to think of Hostess gone. Wonder Bread? Everyone knows, instantly, what that means, that's how iconic it was back in the day. I have not eaten any of their products in probably 45 years, but I will stop and pick up a few Snowballs or filled cupcakes or lemon pies or butterscotch crumpets (loved those) in tribute on my way home tonight

Jane, Butterscotch Krimpets are a Tasty Kake product, IIRC. Several other companies make the fried pies besides Hostess, Krispy Kreme among them.

[Tri2Cook]

I feel worse for the 18,000+ people that are losing their jobs than the disappearance of the Twinkies but I did eat a fair share of them when I was kid.

[rotuts]

Pink Snowballs!

[radtek]

According to the experts in the financial news it isn't 100% dire for the employees- there is a chance they could purchase the Hostess brand themselves and/or be employed by the future owners. I wouldn't go buying any $10 Twinkies out of nostalgia's sake.

[radtek]

I for one am much more confident and optimistic about the aforementioned predictions.

[annabelle]

I'm glad you feel confident in your prediction. I believe that Hostess Brands will be purchased by Mexican owned company Bimbo.

[radtek]

Bimbo will run it better and provide for their employees as well. Which doesn't seem to be much of a concern by this society's plutocrats. Obviously still clinging to that same old useless rhetoric.

[annabelle]

Do the math, my friend: 92% of your salary and a job versus 0% of your salary and no job.

Evidently an 8% cut in pay in order to keep ones job in a down economy is too much to ask. Hostess has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since January. They have no liquid assets and have seen their profits decline by 30% in the last 10 years. Their back is against the wall and a refusal to show an elasticity about wages has just cost these workers their jobs and the jobs of many others.

Plutocrats? Really, son. It's math and math is a harsh mistress.

[Chris Hennes]

It's worth noting that the Teamster's Union approved their most recent contract offer: it's the Baker's Union that's the holdout here.

[Jaymes]

Bimbo will run it better and provide for their employees as well. Which doesn't seem to be much of a concern by this society's plutocrats. Obviously still clinging to that same old useless rhetoric.

Yes. Because Mexican companies are famous for their lavish treatment of employees.

[gfweb]

What will happen is that Bimbo or somebody else will come in, perhaps with different unions, and end up paying the fraction of the workers that they rehire less than the 92% they were offered. After all expenses are higher now.

Or maybe they just buy the brand and the recipes and make the Twinkies in one of their existing plants.

[annabelle]

Most likely the latter. Twinkie Brand ™ by Bimbo, for instance.

[Jaymes]

This is a type of food in my opinion that should be laid to rest anyway.

Right. Somebody oughta pass a law.

[radtek]

Unless it's those laws that would benefit you perhaps? Anything actually constructive to add?

I do:

How dare those employees want a secure retirement after working hard all their lives? The audacity. How unreasonably greedy. After all they only had a contract and an agreement. How foolish to expect that their retirement would be honored and not looted by financiers.

I think it safe to say that if the Hostess products remain after all of this mess that they won't be imported from Mexico. And that Americans will still benefit from employment no matter how diminished. We have a lot of successful Bimbo products on the shelves here but I won't eat them simply because IMO they are unhealthy even in moderation.