In the movie Zombieland, the character of Tallahassee (played by Woody Harrellson) is on a quest. No matter how dangerous the place or how unlikely the discovery, he’s going to find himself a Twinkie. Well, for most of the movie, Tallahassee can’t find his Twinkie. Here’s hoping real life doesn’t become like that! Hostess Brands has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The former Interstate Bakery, based in Kansas City, Missouri, recently emerged from a previous bankruptcy filing; CEO Brian Driscoll hasn’t promised any forthcoming layoffs, but I imagine that may have to be in the cards sooner, rather than later, if the company wants to preserve its’ creamy profit center.
As it turns out, the sugary snack business isn’t recession-proof, nor is it immune to the new health consciousness of the American people. This health craze is what’s damaged Hostess’s bottom line, even as it improves the bottom lines of Americans everywhere. White bread consumption is down, harming Hostess’s Wonder Bread line, as is consumption of refined sugar snacks, which hurts basically everything else Hostess makes. When you add in the incredibly high cost of carrying 7500 union employees on your rolls, well… that puts Hostess at a disadvantage when compared to non-union competitors Bimbo Bakeries and McKee Foods. Even the cost of ingredients has risen, putting Hostess in a bind.
“The iconic status of Twinkies is partly this perception that there’s nothing real in it,” said food historian Ken Albala, a professor of history at the University of the Pacific. “It’s this cake filled with an unidentifiable sugary cream filling that never goes bad.”
Tags: Interstate Bakery, Hostess, Hostess files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Hostess bankruptcy, Hostess Brands, Hostess files for bankruptcy, business, food, food business, Brian Driscoll, Twinkies, Hostess bankruptcy filing, unusual news, Kansas City, Missouri, Ken Albala, University of the Pacific
