I haven’t previously cited a story from the NY Times feature “Deal Book” (a business column about mergers and acquisitions), but then they haven’t previously written about Twinkies.
Yesterday’s history of the ups and downs of the Twinkie by Steven M. Davidoff, an Ohio State University professor, drew me in.
“It was created in 1930 by an executive working at Continental Baking who was looking for a product to sell after strawberry season ended, when the factory line for cream-filled strawberry shortcake sat empty. The yellowish, cream-filled Twinkie was a hit and the company quickly expanded.”
Mind you, I am not one of the heart-broken fans who expected Twinkie extinction after Hostess Brands filed for bankruptcy last year. Even back in elementary school days, my parents regarded some things as junk food, Twinkies among them. I myself craved classmates’ pink snowball cupcakes with the frosting that could stand on its own (literally). Snowballs also were off limits.
Prof. Davidoff tells how the Twinkie and its sister products was passed from acquirer to acquirer more often than an ugly sweater in your company’s Yankee Swap.
In the end, liquidation of Hostess Brands and the outcry from Twinkie fans led to a new sense of its worth. Two private equity firms have agreed to buy it.
More.
Photograph: Politico.com
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
I remember reading about the panic and seeing this article on Boston.com about how we should not worry, there is a possible alternative out there:
http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/01/11/market-basket-tempts-twinkie-fans-with-private-label-cakes/n3tOjVJZkfgvqEZEQgZWeP/story.html
Golden Creme Cakes from a local New England chain. Personally, I don’t eat them (ok maybe one twinkie/hostess product every couple of years) but if I did, I would support a local grocery store and buy the market basket ones.
That’s very cool, KM. I had not heard about the blue box and the Golden Creme Cakes. Someone was on the ball at Market Basket. Will look for these.