Hostess to Close, Lay Off 18,500 Workers
The maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, which has a bakery outlet in Troy, is closing its doors for good.
No more Twinkies? Ho Ho's? Wonder Bread? Say it isn't so!
Hostess Brands, Inc. announced Friday that they will be closing down all their operations due to combining factors of declining profitability, bankruptcy, and—the icing on the cupcake—a strike by one of its largest union worker contingencies.
The company has a bakery outlet in Troy.
According to a release from the company, the end of Hostess will mean the loss of 18,500 jobs and the shuttering of 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centers, approximately 5,500 delivery routes and 570 bakery outlet stores throughout the United States.
In addition to dozens of baking and distribution facilities around the country, Hostess Brands will sell its more popular brands, including Hostess, Drakes and Dolly Madison, which make iconic cake products such as Twinkies, CupCakes, Ding Dongs, Ho Ho’s, Sno Balls and Donettes. Bread brands to be sold include Wonder, Nature’s Pride, Merita, Home Pride, Butternut, and Beefsteak, among others.
It's not clear yet whether the closure will mean the end to all of Hostess' sweet treats. CEO Gregory Rayburn said that the company hopes to sell off most of its bigger brands, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“I’m certainly hopeful we can sell the brands and that the brands can live on,” Rayburn said. “They are iconic.”
Are you planning to go stock up on Hostess products? Which one will you miss the most? Tell us in the comments.
