Hostess Brands, the makers of Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, and the iconic Twinkie, has gone belly up and filed for bankruptcy protection. It seems they are dealing with the usual challenges of a legacy company limping along with large pension and benefits obligations but this could also be a signal that the American food culture is kicking the junk food habit.
Jonathan Berr at MSN Money attributes it to a rising awareness of the obesity problem:
Hostess wasn't able to change with the times. Its whole-grain bread, Nature's Pride, was a flop, and its other products are being hurt by the growing awareness of the obesity epidemic sweeping the country, especially among children. That trend is particularly evident with respect to Hostess' signature product, Twinkies.
Twinkie inventor James Dewar swore by the cream-filled cake he invented in 1930 and ate at least two packets of them a week before he died in 1985 at age 88.
"Some people say Twinkies are the quintessential junk food, but I believe in the things," the Los Angeles Times quoted him as saying. These days, many consumers don't share Dewar's heartfelt dedication to what were once dubbed "the cream puff of the proletariat."
I'd like to see some data on trends in the consumption of junk food but it's probably true that not too many kids go to school with a Twinkie in their lunch box these days. I grew up in a non-Twinkie household but I was an active participant in the black market of Hostess Ding Dongs and Ho Hos during school lunches. That being said I can't remember the last time I ate a Hostess fruit pie and it's hard to wrap my brain around who is eating Twinkies these days. I will admit to an occasional weakness for Lemon Zingers.
Is anyone out there still eating Hostess products? Would anyone protest a world without Twinkies and Suzie Q's?
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I haven't had a Twinkie since I was a kid. Kinda sad that they are going away. Twinkies made me happy :)
Posted by: | January 12, 2012 at 05:10 AM
As a registered dietitian and sustainable food proponent, I would love to think that the demise of Hostess was a sign that Americans are kicking the junk food habit, but I'm afraid you might be overly optimistic. I think that junk foods are just changing locations, to the ubiquitous fast food restaurants and coffee shops. But your book and others give me hope--and there truly is a growing interest in the sustainable foods movement. Eventually maybe we will have more farmer's markets than drive-throughs.
Posted by: | February 06, 2012 at 09:22 PM
True it is - we need to eat more healthy foods. Natural foods - but an occasional indulgence in something special can't hurt. I have always favored my moments of shame with the taste of Hostess chocolate cupcakes, since I was a kid. But as change goes - I just got to try a chocolate cream filled Twinkie ! It was delicious! I can now get through the rest of my days necessities!
Posted by: Barb Berry | August 24, 2012 at 12:17 PM