Speak Out: A World Without Twinkies or Ho-Hos?
Hostess shutdown could spell the demise of a snack-cake slice of Americana.
Hostess has baked its last Twinkie and iced its last Ding Dong.
The Texas-based baked-foods giant announced Friday morning that it is shutting down all operations and selling all assets after it failed to reach a deal with the union that represents one-third of its 18,500 employees. The company's other products include Ho-Hos, Sno Balls, Donettes and Nature’s Pride and Wonder Bread.
The news has unleashed an outpouring of nostalgia and blogger befuddlement.
How can anyone go bankrupt selling junk food? asks the Chicago Sun-Times's Neil Steinberg—as snack-cake lovers lament the possible loss of an 80-year-old slice of Americana.
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Hostess had been churning out 500 million Twinkies and 127 million loaves of Wonder Bread per year, helping it reach $2.5 billion in annual sales, according to CNN.com.
But not to fear; Twinkies are known to last long past their expiration dates. Business experts say the Twinkie will survive.
"The truth is that the Twinkies brand still has value, and will be acquired. Same for Ding Dongs. And (probably) Wonder Bread,” writes Fortune. “America may be undergoing major demographic shifts, but empty calories cut across age, gender and ethnicity. … The most likely endgame here is that another bakery snaps up Twinkies… . There also is a small chance that private equity tries to buy the whole thing, now that it would be free of existing pension liabilities.”
Such assurances have done nothing to prevent a panicked run on the wee golden snacks. Customers were snatching them up from store shelves and they were going for quite a sweet price online, reports CBS.com.
What about you? Do you have a Twinkie memory to share? Tell us in comments.
Laura L Thornton
8:20 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
The only time I ever ate a Twinkie, I was 5 years old and I got hives. I have never eaten a Twinkie (or similar product) since then.
In seventh-grade geography class, my teacher used a Twinkie and a ruler to demonstrate cross-section maps—she used the ruler to cut through the Twinkie and show us the cross-section. I stayed far away from that Twinkie, though.
Danna Walker
8:33 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
When I was a kid a good mother always put Twinkies and Hostess cupcakes in her kids' lunch boxes. Now, that mother would be considered not so very good by the other mothers on lunch duty.
Joe Thomas
11:00 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
This is such an overblown inaccurate story. The terms of the bankruptcy say that Hostess can sell the recipie or whatever to the company that buys Hostess. No one is going to miss their little cupcakes. And as so many people have said they haven't eaten one in years.
Theresa Defino
1:00 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
This actually is a tragedy for the 18,500 workers and a big win for the corporate raiders who shafted them for years. I am so sick of these superficial stories that only show one side--the owners'. It's NOT the union's fault.
Read on.
http://academeblog.org/2012/09/11/requiem-for-the-twinkie/
Corbin Dallas Multipass
11:31 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Curious what this means for Drake's which is owned by Hostess, as my preferred snack vice has been Devil Dogs.
Danna Walker
12:48 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Thanks for the eyewitness update, Frank! I can't help but think that Zingers are getting the short shrift here.
Richard Rice
1:32 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
I no longer eat Twinkies or Ho Hos but remember them with great fondness
from when I was growing up; too many years ago to count!!!
bct
2:37 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
here's all you need to know about twinkies: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/16/us-hostess-bankruptcy-twinkies-idUSBRE8AF19820121116
Theresa Defino
4:49 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Support the hostess workers and unmask the lying corporate raiders!
http://act.aflcio.org/c/18/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=5109
Jim Burnetti
5:42 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012
What will become of the Twinkie wiener sandwich??? This decision must be rolled back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-_FO9p8Xdg
Peggy Anne
10:27 am on Monday, November 19, 2012
My 1950's Twinkie was FAR better than what they crank out these days. If pastry makers want to thrive, they should offer goods without animal ingredients. Enjoy Life foods can do it, Barbara's cookies can do it. So what if they cost more ? They are better than greasy, refined, sugar laden junk snacks.