[tanknetter]

One new plant with a total of 500 people has 80% the output of 14 old plants with a total of 9,000 people?

That number is just staggering. Anyone with common sense will recognize it for what it is. Which means Union rank-and-file still won’t have a clue about what’s going to hit them.

[cynwoody]

According to the link, their most important move was getting out of the bread business — they amputated Wonder Bread. Bread's shelf life was only a few days, requiring the company to maintain an extensive delivery network, which was draining 36% of revenue.

Next, they tweaked the Twinkie's chemistry, raising its shelf life from 25 to 65 days.

Together, those two moves enabled them to switch to a warehouse delivery model. Delivery costs dropped from 36% to 16% of revenue, and the range of reachable outlets greatly expanded. According to Andy Jhawar, "We now ship to all Wal-Marts, dollar stores, 100,000 convenience stores, plus vending machines and food services. There is no reason why Hostess can’t be sold in any place that sells candy bars."

There is no way a representative democracy would vote to produce Twinkies. But those same voters voting with their dollars in those convenience stores and at those vending machines enable Twinkies and all sorts of candy, deodorants, ice cream, etc., to thrive. Guys like Bernie hate that!