Twinkies maker Hostess Brands files for bankruptcy protection
 

Oh Darn!

FTFA:

What's intrigued me is that nobody else wants to buy this company.

It's a ploy to rip the workers/retired workers off of the pension money they have accumulated. If I say much more, I'll be getting too political, I'm afraid.

Anyone watch Zombieland? One of our "heros" is on a quest for a Twinkie. It's pretty funny!

Nobody eats wonder bread and twinkies the way they did 30 years ago. Wonder (or other sponge-like regional brands) used to be fairly common breakfast food -- it ain't so any more. In today's world of whole grain wholesomeness, I don't think there would be a bread company that would want to associate Hostess with their name.

The way I see it the union got fat off refined grain and now the growth as stopped. The company has to deal with it one way or the other. I don't see why they can't successfully expand into the honey, nut, whole wheat nonsense.

Nobody looks towards Hostess when they want really good bagels, croissants, or any kind of interesting bread. The world has changed.

Maybe a merger with Little Debbie is in order?

I still hear the call from days past of Wonder Bread with peanut butter and homemade jam; also with baloney, Miracle Whip, and lettuce. Sigh!

As ICDogg pointed out, Hostess Brands is saddled with a lot of pension obligations. I can't imagine who'd want to buy (or merge with) that. The brand names might be worth something, but you can buy that intellectual property in bankruptcy proceedings.

There is a great new book out by Ellen Schultz of the Wall Street Journal: Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers which makes an amazing point that it's actual corporate greed and not pension obligations that causes huge cuts and eliminations of pensions to the "small guy". After reading that book I feel like saying that "corporationss are drowning under pension obligations" is about as acurate as saying "eat a low fat vegan diet and exercise hard as a key to good health". :D

Even when I was a kid 50 years ago I *loathed* Twinkies. Thought then and still think they are disgusting. But I admit I did love the Ho-Hos and Ding Dongs, and those Hostess cupcakes with the little squiggle of icing across the top and the "creme" filling. I like to think parents are more discerning these days, but I still see a lot of cr*p in gorcery carts when I go to the store.

Ah yes, not the first time that has happened, unfortunately.

Awww, I'm getting all nostalgic. I loved these, too, but my favorite were the "fruit" pies. Probably had no fruit at all, but the fried dough crust were sheer heaven to me on my walk home from school.

I feel sorry for all the workers either way. So many jobs going away- how can people make a living here anymore?!

One of the things on my Bucket List was to try a fried Twinkie. :rheart: I know I shouldn't.

Those poor workers.... losing their pension $ and they probably have been out of insurance for quite a while now due to lack of payment.
This is why unions (at least ours) now require a bond to secure the companies payments.
This way when the company defaults..... the workers are taken care of.

Of coarse they want to slime their way out of that debt.
Wonder what bonuses the executives got last year :o

I did try one once -- loathsome. But I never thought much of twinkies in the first place.

However, this year I tried fried mac and cheese for the first time. After eating low carb for years, I didn't think it worth it. It was mostly bread coating. Simple fried cheese alone has much more flavor - especially if you use bacon fat.

You must be loads of fun at parties.

But seriously, thanks for the book reco. I need something to read on my upcoming trip.