Free Republic

The most Republican-leaning company in the country, based on political donations, isn’t Koch Industries. It’s the company that makes Wonder Bread. The political action committee of Flowers Foods, a Georgia company that produces the pillowy sandwich bread, Tastykakes and Nature’s Own baked goods, has given more than 99 percent of its political contributions since 1979 to Republicans. Only three Democratic congressional candidates have gotten money from its PAC since 1984, and not one in the past 20 years.

Wonder bread is back almost a year after it vanished from shelves. Flowers Foods Inc., which bought Wonder from the now-defunct Hostess Brands, said the bread started returning to supermarket shelves Monday. The company, which also makes Tastykake and Nature’s Own bread, snapped up five bread brands after Hostess went out of business late last year. The $355 million deal included Butternut, Home Pride and Merita, which are all returning to shelves along with Wonder. … Flowers said Wonder bread is being made at that company’s existing plants. The 20 Hostess plants the company acquired as part of the deal...

The winning bid is a joint venture by private equity firms Apollo Global Management (APO) and Metropoulos & Co. A statement from Dean Metropoulos, founder of one of the firms, confirmed they are the winning bidder. "Our family is thrilled to have the opportunity to reestablish these iconic brands with new creative marketing ideas and renewed sales efforts and investment," said Metropoulos. "We look forward to having America's favorite snacks back on the shelf by this summer. We are also ecstatic to bring jobs back to many cities across the country." The bankruptcy court had been set to have an...

NEW YORK — Hostess has picked a lead bidder for its famous Twinkies. The bankrupt Irving company said late Wednesday that it has selected a joint offer from two investment firms — C. Dean Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management LLC — as the lead bid for its Twinkies and other snack cakes. Hostess says the two are offering to pay $410 million for the snack-cake business and five bakeries. The "stalking horse" bid would set the floor for an auction process that lets competitors make better offers. A judge would have to approve any final sale. After years...

Hostess Brands Inc. on Friday sent out letters notifying its more-than 18,000 workers that they could be laid off in the next two months. The maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread on Friday mailed out WARN Act notices to all of its employees, a Hostess spokeswoman confirmed to Bankruptcy Beat Monday. The federal WARN Act requires companies to give employees 60 days notice before closing a facility or ordering mass layoffs. However, sending the notices doesn’t mean a company is definitely going to lay off the recipients.

The company that makes Twinkies, Wonder bread and Ding Dongs says it's making a final offer to workers to accept cost-cutting before it asks a bankruptcy court to impose the cuts. Hostess Brands Inc. wants the Teamsters and bakers' unions to accept reduced pension benefits and changes in work rules to lower costs. It wants to outsource some delivery work. The company said Saturday that if the unions reject the offer, it will push ahead with efforts in bankruptcy court to throw out the unions' collective bargaining agreements. A union official warned that could lead to a strike. Hostess Brands...

No Wonder... Published On 08-31-2007 , 2:27 PM Gov. Schwarzenegger’s drive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions got a major boost this week when the makers of Wonder Bread announced the total withdrawal of their bread products from Southern California. Interstate Bakeries, the makers of Wonder Bread, Roman Meal, Home Pride and Baker’s Inn breads announced the closure of four bakeries, 17 distribution centers and 19 outlet stores, leaving 1,300 Californians out of work. The iconic breads – that had been staples of Southern California grocery stores since the 1940s – will completely disappear from shelves starting October 20th. The parent...

Interstate Bakeries Corp. filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday after struggling with more than $1.3 billion in debt and weak demand for bread products amid the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. The largest U.S. wholesale bakery, maker of Wonder bread and Hostess Twinkies, also accepted the resignation of James Elsesser as chairman and chief executive, according to the Chapter 11 filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri in Kansas City. The company named Leo Benatar as nonexecutive chairman and Antonio Alvarez as chief executive, according to court papers. Alvarez is managing director of the turnaround firm Alvarez...