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Ding Dongs, Twinkies, and all things Snack Cake - we salute you

#1

Gared

Gared

Hostess has announced that it is going to go out of business, rather than attempt to further negotiate a contract with striking bakery union workers. Since we haven't seen any of the details of the contract dispute, it's hard for me to know which side to pick in this one. I'm usually on the union side - it sucks having your pay and benefits cut; but if there's no more water in the well, there's no more water in the well, and striking won't change things.

On the other hand, this strike has been going on for about a week now, and I've never heard anything about any negotiations with the union. All I've heard was threats to shut down several of the company's bakeries, and then a last-ditch threat that if people didn't return to work by 2pm PDT yesterday everything would shut down.

I suppose we'll see, but right now the bottom line is that 18,500 employees are about to lose their jobs at holiday time (yet again), and unfortunately Hostess is looking to sell their recipes, so even a complete closure and bankruptcy will not save us from the everlasting yellow snack cake.


#2

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

No+more+Twinkies+Tallahassee+sad+_685189b6663c9463bee8be85e646a3f1.jpg


#3

Hylian

Hylian

I very rarely ever eat Hostess snacks but that being said they are iconic now and I would be very sad to walk into a store and not see them there.


#4

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

I don't see how they were not making money. It's about $2 for a single serving package of their products.


#5

Gryfter

Gryfter

Guess Twinkies won't last forever.


#6

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

All of their products taste like congealed processed sugar mixed with preservatives.

Don't get me wrong, I'll still eat one. But I regret it before I've even swallowed.


#7

blotsfan

blotsfan

Ravenpoe said:
I regret it before I've even swallowed.
Click to expand...
Sounds like Nicks prom night


#8

Dave

Dave

They were just too damned expensive to buy any longer.


#9

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Dave said:
They were just too damned expensive to buy any longer.
Click to expand...
too high.jpg


#10

Frank

Frank

Dave said:
They were just too damned expensive to buy any longer.
Click to expand...
That's just it, they really. A Hostess fruit pie (the only Hostess product I ever really ate) is like 3 bucks in 7-11 and right next to it is 7-11's own brand, which is just as shitty and only 1.50.


#11

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

Frank said:
That's just it, they really. A Hostess fruit pie (the only Hostess product I ever really ate) is like 3 bucks in 7-11 and right next to it is 7-11's own brand, which is just as shitty and only 1.50.
Click to expand...
...and came out of the same factory.


#12

Frank

Frank

I guess their products will live on, as 7-11 brand shitty brand shit snacks.


#13

PatrThom

PatrThom

No more Interstate Brands? Aww.

This affects me deeply from a nostalgia point of view, but I will likely end up not missing their products.
Now someone will need to step forward to fill the snack cake vacuum.

--Patrick


#14

Gared

Gared

Heard on the news this morning that the owner is looking for a buyer for all 30 brands, so that the brands live on even though Hostess is done for.


#15

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

q9jj0.jpg


The second pic made me laugh pretty hard in context, being a Twilight Zone fan.

People in Colorado/Washington when hearing the news about Hostess shutting down:
cdmqV.jpg


#16

Yoshimickster

Yoshimickster

Meh, being close to Philly I was more a Tasty cake man.


#17

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Honestly, this situation is entirely the fault of Hostess. They went around buying up tons of bakery companies and simply took on too much obligation for the retiring workers, which is biting them in the ass now. They went to a judge to try and get out of paying for the retirement packages they inherited, but he said they were still obligated to as the new owners. So Hostess went to the Union and basically said "We can't pay this. If we do, we'll go out of business. We need to drastically lower these benefits." The Union said no, went on strike, and here we are. A lot of workers are going to lose everything because Hostess wasn't managed properly.

Sadly, this is how the free market works. If the market hadn't shifted to healthier foods, Hostess wouldn't be in such rough shape... but it did and they failed to change with the market. This is what happens. But don't worry too much... someone WILL buy the recipes and brand names. Twinkies will be back.


#18

Frank

Frank

I liked Hostess fruit pies BEFORE they were cool.

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/20...os-is-considering-bid-for-hostess-brands.html


#19

Yoshimickster

Yoshimickster

While I'm not affected, whoever has to tell Tallahassee about this is probably going to get their asses kicked.


#20



BErt

So, I was just at the grocery store. It starts.

imagejpeg_2.jpg


#21

David

David

There is now a power vacuum in the creme-filled prepackaged snack cake market. Let's get on this shit, halforums! Who's got the best sponge cake recipe?


#22

Zappit

Zappit

This kills Wonderbread, too. It sucks, because the Smart White is pretty much the only lower sodium bread I can eat that doesn't taste like bathroom tile.


#23

Bowielee

Bowielee

I love that this is in the religion and politics forum.


#24

DarkAudit

DarkAudit

The bakery here has already shut down. The attached outlet store will operate as long as stock is available.


#25

jwhouk

jwhouk

...And if that photo, along with my experience at the local Wal-Mart are any indication, that ain't gonna be long.


#26

strawman

strawman

Though we make fun of how long they'll last due to preservatives, their factory to store shelf time was incredibly short, 48 hours at the high end. There's no significant stock, so it's not surprising that the stores are already running low on the popular items, customer stockpiling notwithstanding. They worked hard to provide fresh food to the customer, that could be stored by the customer for some time, but it is fresh when purchased.


#27

Dave

Dave

What's interesting is the fact that this is apparently an end-around by the management to clean up & skate around bankruptcy laws. Seems that the managers gave themselves a hefty bunch of raises earlier in the year and then told the workers they had to take a big cut in pay and benefits. And now, of course, it's the fault of the unions.

You know, I used to be fairly anti-union, but I must say in recent months I can totally see their need.


#28

figmentPez

figmentPez

Ravenpoe said:
All of their products taste like congealed processed sugar mixed with preservatives.
Click to expand...
I know it wouldn't happen, but it would be interesting to see a Twinkie Throwback product, where they made the original recipe, out of real ingredients, without all the stabalizers, conditioners, preservatives, processed emusifiers, etc.

Wouldn't it be something to get a snack cake made with this:
590-egg.jpg


Instead of this:
13_WholeEggs.grid-4x2.jpg


Oh well, I guess for that you just go to a local bakery and pay a very very premium price. Or bake it yourself.


#29

blotsfan

blotsfan

I don't want eggshells in my twinkies.


#30

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Oh god, no one tell The Hulk!



#31

Yoshimickster

Yoshimickster

Or Modest Medusa! WHO WILL FEED HER CHOCODILES NOW?!


#32

Silent Bob

Silent Bob

Gared said:
Hostess has announced that it is going to go out of business, rather than attempt to further negotiate a contract with striking bakery union workers. Since we haven't seen any of the details of the contract dispute, it's hard for me to know which side to pick in this one. I'm usually on the union side - it sucks having your pay and benefits cut; but if there's no more water in the well, there's no more water in the well, and striking won't change things.

On the other hand, this strike has been going on for about a week now, and I've never heard anything about any negotiations with the union. All I've heard was threats to shut down several of the company's bakeries, and then a last-ditch threat that if people didn't return to work by 2pm PDT yesterday everything would shut down.

I suppose we'll see, but right now the bottom line is that 18,500 employees are about to lose their jobs at holiday time (yet again), and unfortunately Hostess is looking to sell their recipes, so even a complete closure and bankruptcy will not save us from the everlasting yellow snack cake.
Click to expand...

Bottom line is that Hostess was tanking, the suits at the top were going to jump ship regardless and liquidate. The union went on strike despite this as a last stand measure (they knew they weren't going to have jobs), and the execs and majority stock holders placed the blame of going backrupt and liquidation on the union.


#33

twitchmoss

twitchmoss

I tried a Twinkie for the first time a little while ago.
it was fucking nasty. woody harrelson lied to me!

Americans, if you can find them, try cadburys minirolls. Far, FAR superior.


#34

Sara_2814

Sara_2814

figmentPez said:
I know it wouldn't happen, but it would be interesting to see a Twinkie Throwback product, where they made the original recipe, out of real ingredients, without all the stabalizers, conditioners, preservatives, processed emusifiers, etc.

Wouldn't it be something to get a snack cake made with this:
View attachment 9001

Instead of this:
View attachment 9002

Oh well, I guess for that you just go to a local bakery and pay a very very premium price. Or bake it yourself.
Click to expand...

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Hostess-Twinkie-Recipe.html


#35

jwhouk

jwhouk

The whole "shelf life" thing has already been discussed by Snopes. The actual shelf life of a Twinkie is about 25-28 days.

Unfortunately, that won't mean anything if there's no stock.


#36

Gared

Gared

On the bright side, it looks like some people are going to make money off of this, at least. eBay has lit up with Hostess auctions, and some people are even willing to bid $7500.00 for some of the auctions.


#37

jwhouk

jwhouk

I'm sorry, but that is just ridiculous.


#38

Gared

Gared

Yes it is. Sadly, this world has no shortage of ridiculous people. But at least no one had bid on the $21M auction of twinkies and cupcakes.


#39

figmentPez

figmentPez

There is no way that we make it to 2013 without Twinkies being made again. The name is too iconic, too much a part of Americana, for that name to go unused. Someone will buy the name and start producing the product. It won't be the first time a big name went under and sold the name off. I'm trying to remember specific cases, but the names are eluding me at the moment.


#40

Silent Bob

Silent Bob

figmentPez said:
There is no way that we make it to 2013 without Twinkies being made again. The name is too iconic, too much a part of Americana, for that name to go unused. Someone will buy the name and start producing the product. It won't be the first time a big name went under and sold the name off. I'm trying to remember specific cases, but the names are eluding me at the moment.
Click to expand...
It happens with cars all the time. Thunderbird. I remember when the Latrobe Brewing company was sold, and Rolling Rock beer continued under Anheuser-Busch


#41

DarkAudit

DarkAudit

All is not yet lost... (Huffington Post)


#42

figmentPez

figmentPez

DarkAudit said:
All is not yet lost... (Huffington Post)
Click to expand...
The face of Twinkie's savior?
BimboLogo_wBear.jpg


#43

Yoshimickster

Yoshimickster

So now they'll be...Bimbo Twinkies? Th-the laughter! I WON'T STOP! BAHAHAHAHAHA!


#44

T

The_Khan

Bimbo is pretty big in China


#45

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

The_Khan said:
Bimbo is pretty big in China
Click to expand...
Chinese bimbos? :unibrow:


#46

Bowielee

Bowielee

It would be extremely stupid for someone not to buy up the brand name, at least.


#47

Bubble181

Bubble181

twitchmoss said:
Americans, if you can find them, try cadburys minirolls. Far, FAR superior.
Click to expand...
Whenever anyone states that anything Cadbury is superior to any other product, I have to assume that either the other produt is made up mostly of manure and transfats, or that the person in question has no taste.
Lucky for you, I've eaten a twinkie once, too. It's clearly the first option. Still, Cadbury is crappy crappy crap, too.


#48

LordRendar

LordRendar

Whats your take on Lindt chocolate?


#49

Bubble181

Bubble181

LordRendar said:
Whats your take on Lindt chocolate?
Click to expand...
I'm technically supposed to dislike it, since it's Swiss. But Lindt is amongst the best of the widely available chocolates. I've tasted better in small expensive chocolatier places, but from a supermarket or for general availability coupled with taste, you can't really beat them.
For making desserts, though, you're really far better off using Belgian chocolate over Swiss chocolate. They really are different.


#50

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker



#51

Gared

Gared

And today there's a story carried by CNBC that Sun Capitol may buy at least some of the Hostess brands. Looks like Hostess is going to get paid, one way or another. It's just their employees who are up shit creek without a hammer.


#52

strawman

strawman

Gared said:
It's just their employees who are up shit creek without a hammer.
Click to expand...
It will be difficult for them to sell the company off without also selling some of the retirement benefits they currently claim they can't pay.

But I'm sure they'll figure out some loophole or another...


#53

Gared

Gared

Yeah, I really don't know anything about bankruptcy laws and regulations, so I have no idea how the sale of the brands is going to affect the outstanding benefits payments or anything like that.


#54

Gared

Gared

Whoops... Apparently Hostess didn't even bother to try mediation with the bakers union; and the judge overseeing their bankruptcy proceedings has ordered them to do just that, so they can't go out of business and sell off their brands just yet. Courtesy, AP: http://www.king5.com/news/business/Judge-orders-Hostess-to-mediate-with-union-180004991.html.


#55

jwhouk

jwhouk

They still won't reopen their plants and make more product, though.


#56

strawman

strawman

jwhouk said:
They still won't reopen their plants and make more product, though.
Click to expand...
No, but the unions and lawyers would make a ton of money.

The workers would still lose out, but the union is only using them as a poster child, otherwise no one cares about them any longer.


#57

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Twinkies still to be made in Canada. A Canadian company has the rights to make them still and plans to keep up production.

So I guess this means that Americans can always import them if we REALLY want them. I could see it happening... most stores import Mexican coke these days.


#58

Emrys

Emrys

AshburnerX said:
Twinkies still to be made in Canada. A Canadian company has the rights to make them still and plans to keep up production.

So I guess this means that Americans can always import them if we REALLY want them.
Click to expand...
And I can hook you up to a supply. For a price.


#59

strawman

strawman

Emrys said:
And I can hook you up to a supply. For a price.
Click to expand...
Oh man, a twinkie pusher who uses weasels to do the dirty work.

:aaah:


#60

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

Emrys said:
And I can hook you up to a supply. For a price.
Click to expand...
We'll funnel to you cheap cigarettes, in return for a case of Ho-Ho's.


#61

strawman

strawman

Skip that, we want cheap prescription medication.

In our twinkies.


#62

Eriol

Eriol

stienman said:
Skip that, we want cheap prescription medication.

In our twinkies.
Click to expand...
I'm sure the chemicals in them by default do something so you may be medicated already and not even know it!


#63

Emrys

Emrys

stienman said:
Oh man, a twinkie pusher who uses weasels to do the dirty work.

:aaah:
Click to expand...
Actually, I'm thinking of getting wolverines and fishers for my Hostess-running business.


#64

Eriol

Eriol

Emrys said:
Actually, I'm thinking of getting wolverines and fishers for my Hostess-running business.
Click to expand...
Just how many critters do you have now Emrys? You were crawling already when Dirona and I made a visit a while back.


#65

Emrys

Emrys

Eriol said:
Just how many critters do you have now Emrys? You were crawling already when Dirona and I made a visit a while back.
Click to expand...
12 doomweasels and 4 cats but no wolverines or fishers. I'm going to have to rent them to enforce my Hostess smuggling business.


#66

Yoshimickster

Yoshimickster


Fresh offa Memebase.


#67

Frank

Frank

AshburnerX said:
Twinkies still to be made in Canada. A Canadian company has the rights to make them still and plans to keep up production.

So I guess this means that Americans can always import them if we REALLY want them. I could see it happening... most stores import Mexican coke these days.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was in 7-11 last night and all the Hostess style snacks are still there.

I still didn't buy any.


#68

Gared

Gared

Hostess seeks approval to pay executives $1.8M in bonuses.

Hostess Brands Inc. is asking for a judge's approval to give its top executives bonuses totaling up to $1.8 million as part of its wind-down plans.
The maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos says the incentive pay is needed to retain the 19 corporate officers and "high-level managers" during the liquidation process, which could take about a year. Two of those executives would be eligible for additional rewards depending on how efficiently they carry out the liquidation. The bonuses would be in addition to their regular pay.
The bonuses do not include pay for CEO Gregory Rayburn, who was brought on as a restructuring expert earlier this year. Rayburn is being paid $125,000 a month.
Click to expand...
Maybe we should be rethinking some of our business practices, hmm? The current executives did a poor enough job that their company is going out of business and 18,000 jobs have been lost; but the company wants approval from the bankruptcy court judge to pay those same executives another almost $2 million so that they'll stick around while the company shuts down. Who the hell thinks this shit up?!


#69

strawman

strawman

Arguably the executives will leave if they have no incentive to stay at a dying company. The deals that will be made to slice and dice the company can be significantly less lucrative without their contacts and wheeling and dealing.

They will be trying to sell various brands for hundreds of millions of dollars, and there are hungry predatory companies waiting to grab a deal if they can pull it off.

Without a good executive that can work out these deals, they will lose much, much more than a few million dollars, and the bankruptcy judge is not going to dismiss this request as frivolous.


#70

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

My question? How many people could they pay out the retirement benefits for if they used that cash for that instead of paying executive bonuses... executives who have already proven themselves to be entirely useless?


#71

strawman

strawman

Let's do the math.

Assume the judge says that x% of all sale proceeds go to investors, and (100-x)% go to employee benefits.

If we assume the sale proceeds will be greater with the existing executives by more than their bonus, then the employee benefits will be greater having paid the bonuses than they would if they used the bonuses to pay off the investors and employees.

If we assume the sale proceeds won't change without the executives, then the company should ditch the execs and use that bonus money to pay their investors and employees.

So it still comes down to the company convincing the bankruptcy judge that the sales will be more profitable, by at least the amount of the bonuses, with the executives than without.

The judge will NOT favor the employees over other creditors and investors - they are merely another group of creditors for the bankruptcy proceeding, and under no circumstances could they get rid of the executives and shuttle all of the bonus money toward just one of the company's creditors/investors.

Keep in mind that a lot of the creditors are other companies who are also supporting their employees, and a lot of the investors are banks who have put other people's retirement savings into portfolios that contain hostess stock. You can't simply put the employees ahead of everyone else.


#72

evilmike

evilmike



#73

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

You know, I wonder at times what Jim Henson would have thought of his influence on the world and how muppets and muppet-alikes have permeated everything. (He'd probably think it was pretty darn awesome)


#74

Frank

Frank

It's just the US without Twinkies.

I can still go to any 7-11 and buy them.


#75

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Frank said:
It's just the US without Twinkies.

I can still go to any 7-11 and buy them.
Click to expand...
You sonuvabi-

FryTwinkies.jpg


#76

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Oh look... Hostess was stealing pension funds to pay operating costs.


#77

Frank

Frank

OH MY GOD, IT'S ALL THE UNION'S FAULT!


#78

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

Frank said:
OH MY GOD, IT'S ALL THE UNION'S FAULT!
Click to expand...
I just want to slap a bitch every time I hear some Republican say that sincerely here at work...


#79

strawman

strawman

Twinkies are coming back July 15th:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/24/news/companies/twinkies-return/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

The announcement was made by Daren Metropoulos, principal of Metropoulos & Co., one of the two companies that bought the rights to Twinkies and other snack brands from the bankrupt Hostess Brands earlier this year.

The new Twinkies box will look very similar to the old one, with the addition of the line "The sweetest comeback in the history of ever." The price will stay the same as last fall when Hostess shut down - $3.99 for a box of 10. Other products will also come back with the same pricing.

"America wanted Hostess back -- they wanted the original," said Metropoulos.

The new company will sell all of the Hostess and Dolly Madison branded snack products, including CupCakes, Donettes, Zingers, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, fruit pies and mini muffins. Some products, such as Sno Balls, will take a little longer to return to shelves, but they should be available within the next few months.

Other Hostess brands, including Wonder Bread and Drake's snack cakes, have been sold to other firms. Details of their return have yet to be announced.
Click to expand...


#80

Cajungal

Cajungal

Well thank God someone took action.


#81

strawman

strawman

I know!

Emrys was going to take over the world based on her exclusive supply chain.


#82

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh



#83

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

The Zombie Apocalypse is back on!!!


#84

Dave

Dave

Thanks, Obama!

(Am I doing this right?)


#85

Emrys

Emrys

stienman said:
I know!

Emrys was going to take over the world based on her exclusive supply chain.
Click to expand...
DAMMIT!!!


#86

jwhouk

jwhouk

And they're back. (Un-Brazleton?)


#87

PatrThom

PatrThom

It's Monday! Today is the official release of all your favorite snacks back to the snack racks.
You may again enjoy your Twinkie-weiner sandwiches if you so desire.

--Patrick


#88

strawman

strawman

TIL: Hostess changed the twinkies recipe just weeks before shutdown. The new recipe extends the shelf life of twinkies by two weeks. The new twinkies are following the new recipe, so today's twinkies will last longer than last years twinkies, all of which are now well past their expiration date.


#89

Fun Size

Fun Size

Anyone have the ingredients? The old recipe prevented us veggies from eating Hostess products.


#90

strawman

strawman

Also, the new twinkies weigh less - though we are told they are the same size:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/15/news/companies/twinkies-size/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

And I was wrong - they added nearly three weeks to the shelf life, nearly doubling their previous shelf life.


#91

Gared

Gared

Fun Size said:
Anyone have the ingredients? The old recipe prevented us veggies from eating Hostess products.
Click to expand...
Haven't heard anything about vegetarian options, but I hear there are whole-wheat and gluten-free versions.


#92

strawman

strawman

Fun Size said:
Anyone have the ingredients? The old recipe prevented us veggies from eating Hostess products.
Click to expand...
I think you'd have to go to the store and look, since they were just released today, and their website doesn't list ingredients or other food information: http://hostesscakes.com/Products


#93

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

I think Ding Dongs were the only Hostess snack that I missed. And that was still only purchased about twice a year.


#94

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

I actually tried a fruit pie from the company that was making them while Hostess was gone... they were tons better. Like serious... just a ton better. Fruit and glaze were delicious, while the crust itself wasn't a single block of over-glazed sugar like the old hostess ones. I hope the Hostess ones don't come back because I like these ones better.


#95

strawman

strawman

As an adult I can't eat much of their stuff anymore anyway. Way too sweet. But as a kid I would eat any of them, in whatever quantity they were available. But most of their cake products have an aftertaste for me that isn't delightful.

Swiss Cake Rolls are far superior to their Ho Hos anyway.

But you could never really replace their twinkie, and I still have one every few years just because I forget that their deliciousness is essentially a childhood illusion I haven't yet come to fully accept.


#96

PatrThom

PatrThom

I'm just happy because now I get another chance to try that thing I saw in a movie once...

Also, Nutty Bars FTW.

--Patrick


#97

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker said:
I think Ding Dongs were the only Hostess snack that I missed. And that was still only purchased about twice a year.
Click to expand...
My best friend's Groom's Cake was 6 boxes of Ding Dongs stacked and frosted.


#98

Emrys

Emrys

Dammit, now I want a Twinkie.


#99

strawman

strawman

Emrys said:
Dammit, now I want a Twinkie.
Click to expand...
YOU LIVE IN CANADA. TWINKIES WERE NEVER TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.


#100

Emrys

Emrys

I know. I had 3 or 4 huge trailer loads, ready to use for cornering the market until Hostess turned around and brought them back, damn them.
But the point is, stienman, I don't have them here. I don't have them here!


#101

strawman

strawman

Fun Size said:
Anyone have the ingredients? The old recipe prevented us veggies from eating Hostess products.
Click to expand...
You may have already solved this question, but if not here's the ingredients from the package my wife bought today:



#102

PatrThom

PatrThom

For those keeping score, 2 Twinkie snack cakes have more calories than a 20oz bottle of Coke (EDIT: Or a Clif bar).
Also more beef fat.

--Patrick


#103

strawman

strawman

They should market them as "BEEFALICIOUS"


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