Hostess makers of the Twinkie to go Bankrupt ?

[TR0N]

Yes you heard me no more hohos or twinkies
http://www.hostessbrands.com/Closed.aspx

[OldRover]

I love how they blame the union for their own fuckup.

[TR0N]

I love how they blame the union for their own fuckup.

Ive heard they have had bad management over the years etc.

[TheClash603]

I read a lot of stories about this Company and it has been mismanaged for years, definitely not the unions fault...  that said...

I FUCKING LOVE ORANGE CUPCAKES!

I went store to store today to find one and they were all sold out.  Everyone went on a mad rush for Hostess, because they might not be around anymore.

My assumption is the brand is too strong and it will be liquidated.  The Twinkie and cupcake products are too popular to disappear.  My only fear is they are made in China going forward and I run the risk of poison water cupcakes.

[KnightWarrior]

Safeway is making Cup Cakes

I asked the Manager if they going to start Orange, Strawberry and Golden

He doesn't know

[nectarsis]

I'm LOVING the idiots hoarding/overpaying for Twinkies, and Ho' Ho's.  Like they won't be back in some form, from some company if Hostess completely disolves.   Besides the products have been downsized, and dropped in "quality" (filling, etc) for years now.

[OldRover]

The products are still going to be made, they'll just be made by someone else. And yeah, the quality has really taken a nosedive over the years... not that they were ever of high quality to begin with, but it went from bad to worse about ten years ago and never came back.

[TR0N]

I'm LOVING the idiots hoarding/overpaying for Twinkies, and Ho' Ho's.  Like they won't be back in some form, from some company if Hostess completely disolves.   Besides the products have been downsized, and dropped in "quality" (filling, etc) for years now.

Haahaahaahaa ! I think just think people are stocking up on twinkies for the zombie apocalypse 

[KnightWarrior]

I'm kicking my self by not going out Friday Morning, thought going to Rain...

I should of went out anyways

[Mishran]

I predict $100+ boxes of twinkles on eBay. $105 if you want the box to be mint condition. $150 for VGA grading... Nuff said.

[Bernie]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=hostess&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[Bardoly]

???????

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hostess-Twinkies-10-individually-wrapped-cakes-ONE-BOX-/300818834591?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460a33249f


Let the gouging commence.   

[KnightWarrior]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=hostess&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Will it sell at those prices

[Arkhan Asylum]

As long as Zingers come back.


Some of the strikers bitched that they're out of jobs now.

That's funny, cause, you know, they were striking and all.

Make up your minds, retards.    Have a plan B for when your strike fails to get what you want.


Im going to miss going to the Hostess outlet to buy redlined twinkies and zingers for 10 cents a pack.

[ParanoiaDragon]

As long as Zingers come back.


Some of the strikers bitched that they're out of jobs now.

That's funny, cause, you know, they were striking and all.

Make up your minds, retards.    Have a plan B for when your strike fails to get what you want.


Im going to miss going to the Hostess outlet to buy redlined twinkies and zingers for 10 cents a pack.

Yeah, Zinger's are awesome.  I love Ding Dong's & those organg cupcakes.  I think those pies with "cherry" filling, etc. were also Hostes, I love those! 


Oh, & Choco-diles!

[OldRover]

Jobs grow on trees in this country, didn't ya know?

[MotherGunner]

I don't blame the workers for striking but God Damn!  Timing is everything!  Shitty pay during the Holiday season is better than NO pay!

[TheClash603]

This was the second time Hostess went bankrupt.  The company didn't update its strategy in years and it obviously was horribly mismanaged.  The fact that the Company was expected the workers to take a pay cut because they didn't know how to run the place was ridiculous.

It is sad that in this country people instantly will side with the corporate ownership, and hardly ever with the strikers.  That says a lot about the values of this brainwashed society.

[FiftyQuid]

Did you guys notice this listing?  I saw it when I clicked on the link Bernie posted.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Orange-Hostess-Cupcakes-Daughters-College-Tuition-/121024561190?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2da04026

Read the description.  You can't make this shit up.

[soop]

I ate a twinkie some 16 years ago, and I really wasn't impressed.  That cream is nasty and synthetic.

The only thing I like about Hostess is the old Marvel adverts and how I imagine the apple and cherry pies to taste.

http://www.seanbaby.com/hostess.htm

[OldRover]

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It is sad that in this country people instantly will side with the corporate ownership, and hardly ever with the strikers.  That says a lot about the values of this brainwashed society.

But of course!! Now people can't get their precious junk food "OH NOEZ!!". It's all about "me me me". Nothing ever changes in this selfish, decadent, "me first" society. A bunch of fucking self-important shitheads that have no concern for the lives of others as long as they can get their own quick fix. Must be nice to not know what hard times are all about, or to have them so far behind you that you've forgotten them.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Jobs aren't as hard to find as you'd think.   It's just a lot of people who are unemployed are picky dumbshits that refuse to work somewhere that's less than awesome.  It also depends where you look.  

Money > No Money,

and, that picture is a bit black/white.  Even without the stupid raises I don't think they could afford to pay all of those pension plans for all the old-fucks because upper management blew dick at what they were doing anyway.

I don't blame the workers for striking but God Damn!  Timing is everything!  Shitting pay during the Holiday season is better than NO pay!

Yeah.  It's like pulling out after you blow your load.   Nice thought, but totally pointless.   Some of the strikers are now complaining that they are losing their jobs.   That part cracks me up.   WE STRIKED CAUSE THIS PLACE SUCKS.

WAIT YOU'RE TAKING MY JOB? WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS BULLSHIT I NEED MY JOB.

duhruhrurhhruhr, lol.

But of course!! Now people can't get their precious junk food "OH NOEZ!!". It's all about "me me me". Nothing ever changes in this selfish, decadent, "me first" society. A bunch of fucking self-important shitheads that have no concern for the lives of others as long as they can get their own quick fix. Must be nice to not know what hard times are all about, or to have them so far behind you that you've forgotten them.

I think you are getting a little too emotional and accusational about twinkies. 

Besides, everyone already knows that all this shit is going to resurface in under a year from a different snack company so most people are flailing just because the whole thing is funny, as opposed to being "self important jackasses".

Oh, wait, you called us shitheads this time. 

Either way.

[OldRover]

I think you are getting a little too emotional and accusational about twinkies. 

Besides, everyone already knows that all this shit is going to resurface in under a year from a different snack company so most people are flailing just because the whole thing is funny, as opposed to being "self important jackasses".

Oh, wait, you called us shitheads this time. 

Either way.

Don't like my opinion? I don't give a damn. I don't like yours either. So I guess we're even. And yeah, I care about this situation, and about every other situation where corporate greed damages the lives of those they depend on. It's classic "bite the hand that feeds you" stuff. The workers make the products that the corporate bigwigs profit from, and in return, "hey let's take MORE money, give them LESS money, and if it fails, oh well, we'll just sell off everything and retire to Cancun... fuck the workers that made us rich". All the while, outside people are only concerned that their "food" (I use that word extremely liberally here) supply is in danger of disappearing. So hey, if these workers can just "find another job", I guess y'all can just find another junk food and stop bitching about it, eh?

I'm fucking sick of this "blame the worker" and "blame the union" mentality. This is just "blame the victim" mentality in a corporate setting.

[soop]

I agree with Old Rover, but TBH, his opinion is not diametrically opposed to Arkhan, and I agree with him too.

The only thing I can't understand is why anyone would eat that crap out of choice.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Don't like my opinion? I don't give a damn. I don't like yours either. So I guess we're even.

The difference being, I am not being very serious about any of this twinkie shit, whereas you are...   

All the while, outside people are only concerned that their "food" (I use that word extremely liberally here) supply is in danger of disappearing.

Outside people are rarely concerned with the inside.  Why should they be? 

So hey, if these workers can just "find another job", I guess y'all can just find another junk food and stop bitching about it, eh?

We all know twinkies will be back, and yes, there are plenty of other foods to eat in the meantime.

As for the workers, they can find another job.  Many probably have already.

**Note the following is not meant to be a blanket statement directed at everyone who got fucked by Hostess**

The hostess factory is basically like a McDonalds.  It's fairly simple to find a job if you don't set your standards way too high.  Highschool kids do it all the fuckin' time.

There's highschool kids making solid incomes working at places like UPS.  But, you'll often find adults who pull that whole "OH I REFUSE TO WORK AT UPS BECAUSE THEY'RE CORPORATE DICKS" shit and would rather just sit and talk about how fucked up every company is instead of shutting their traps for awhile and getting a fuckin' job so they're not making tomato soup out of ketchup packets and water that they stole from a McDonalds that they should probably apply for a job at.  Most adults pull that entitled to this/that shit and can't budget themselves for shit.  This includes the innocent workers of Hostess.  If you're poor as fuck and jobless, shut your internet off.  Tuck that money away til you aren't broke.  Go use free internet somewhere.   like at that McDonalds you should probably apply at

Young kids are all like "Money!? COOL GIMME IT".  Adults are like "Money!? FROM THERE?! HELL NO." followed by "FUCK.  IM POOR.  FINDING A JOB IS HARD.  I HATE AMERICA.  IM MOVING TO CANADA".

Yes.  Finding a job is hard when you let your pride/ego/whatever get in the way of super sizing some food for some retard so you can get paid.

When they say "The job market is rough", they mean jobs requiring degrees and shit.  Everyone and their brother is an engineer major now.  There are hardly any engineering jobs in ohio.

Walmart/Grocery Stores/Retail outlets/Fastfood places on the other hand, I see "NOW HIRING" signs left and fuckin right.

If you can handle a hostess factory job, you could probably be a manager of a bunch of stoned teens at a McDonalds or some shit. 

Protip: They have benefits.

I'm fucking sick of this "blame the worker" and "blame the union" mentality. This is just "blame the victim" mentality in a corporate setting.

Right now, you can certainly blame the workers for being fucked.  They could've stuck it out at least til the end of the year.  Now they're hosed for the holidays, right?

Who the hell strikes before thanksgiving?   That's n00b as fuck.

[OldRover]

Last time I checked, justice doesn't take the holidays off.

[Arkhan Asylum]

[OldRover]

[Bernie]

I guess I fall in the middle on this.  Being a union worker, I see both sides.  Corporate greed is a big thing, watching CEOs give themselves millions in retirement, or raises, all the while cutting at the workers that make the money for them.  That being said, I am not sure I would have voted to strike unless I was prepared.  Its obvious Hostess drove themselves into Bankruptcy though. 

I work for a company called RockTenn, and thus far they have been GREAT to work for.    However, it has not always been that way.  Before RockTenn bought us, we were Smurfit Stone Container.  The leaders of that company ran it into the ground, literally.  I seen tons of cuts to pension, 401K, and pay while under their leadership.  In the end, they filed for Chpt. 11..  Guess what?  I personally lost 10k overnight as they liquidated their stock, luckily most of my money was in other stocks as well.  But thats just me and my losses, no telling what others lost.  Almost directly after they emerged from Chpt. 11, things started leaking out about certain leaders high up the chain, leaving the company, and being PAID millions for retirement..  WTF??  One that stands out got 5 million, and he was one of the higher leaders.  Lemme get this straight, I lose thousands, and you gain millions?  Does that seem right??  Its insane, and shit like that that put us in this position to begin with.  Fast forward to 2009.  RockTenn bought us, and immediately started sinking MILLIONS into the mills, including the one I work at.  The plants had been neglected so long, that we were literally running on borrowed time and bandaids.  RockTenn is working very hard to fix this, and it shows its workers they want to run, be productive, and be fair.  We now have a better 401K, they care for the workers, and it is starting to show.  They have literally invested more in my mill, than Smurfit invested the entire 12 years I was there before. 

I said all that to say this.  There is a lot of corporate greed out there, more than there should be.  It wouldnt be so bad, if they were suffering right along with us, but that wasnt the case with Smurfit.  You just cannot justify the workers losing thousands, due to their negligence, and then turning around and paying themselves millions just to leave the company right before being sold.  Our plant never voted to strike, because we just couldnt afford to do so.  Ark is right, something is better than nothing.  But still, right is right and wrong is wrong.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Hard Justice should be reserved for Judges.

all the normal people have to be a bit flexible with whats right/wrong.


Yeah, the company is fucking their asses raw.

But at the same time, having no money for the holidays is also going to fuck your ass raw.

and your families or whoever are going to be all like yodang, this christmas present is lame.  y u no money.

[PCEngineHell]

/hostess.png

[Arkhan Asylum]

I loled.

[PCEngineHell]

I loled.

I know, right?

[Arkhan Asylum]

[OldRover]

It seems Walmart workers are on strike right now too.

[Senshi]

Yes you heard me no more hohos or twinkies
http://www.hostessbrands.com/Closed.aspx

Good they are both shit

[MotherGunner]

Hard Justice should be reserved for Judges.

all the normal people have to be a bit flexible with whats right/wrong.


Yeah, the company is fucking their asses raw.

But at the same time, having no money for the holidays is also going to fuck your ass raw.

and your families or whoever are going to be all like yo dang, this christmas present is lame.  y u no money.

This.

This is exactly what I was telling my wife;  She is part of a union.  People deserve pay that is decent enough to live on.  However, in her particular situation she is a part of a union, meaning that even if she is doing okay for herself, she would be required to strike should the union opt to.  I suspect a similar sitation played out at Hostess where not everyone was wanting to strike but the union made the call TO strike.  So tell me how fucked up it would be if you weren't "feeling" the strike in the first place and now all of a sudden you're fucked out of your job too? Right before TG/Christmas?  With kids at home, mortgage, car payments, medical bills, etc?  Talk about wanting to walk 100 yards into the woodline with a Smith and Wesson to put yourself out of your misery....

[Bernie]

MotherGunner, you are correct.  If you are union, and the majority vote to strike, you are out with them.  Of course, you can always cross lines to come to work anyway, but that gets dangerous.

[Arkhan Asylum]

If they voted to strike I'd just sit on my ass and eat twinkies and go YEAH STRIKE.  YEAH! and use the sign to smack away all the people who want my twinkies.

[Bernie]

If they voted to strike I'd just sit on my ass and eat twinkies and go YEAH STRIKE.  YEAH! and use the sign to smack away all the people who want my twinkies.

lol.  Always bringing the humor.  I like that. 

[PCEngineHell]

Its stupid to me that you have so many out there not really concerned for the workers well being at all, or for that matter that some have treated this matter as more important then like the aftermath from Sandy. You have people scrambling everywhere buying up as many twinkies and cupcakes they can find like they will never have a chance to stuff their fat fucking faces again on junk food. Its some of the most retarded bullshit ever. Its not like this stuff was high quality to begin with, and there's generics out there that taste just as good (if you want to call it all good in the first place). All in all its just one giant stupid mess.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I went to the Hostess outlet near me on a whim yesterday.  omfgwtf is all I can say.

I laughed at assholes on ebay selling twinkies that were "FOR A GOOD CAUSE!", for like 100,000$.

The only thing I'll miss are raspberry zingers.  They'll be back though. They're just fucking twinkies soaked in sugar and covered in coconut shavings.  It's not rocket science.   

Swiss Cake rolls suck ass though.   The chocolate has a really strange taste.  I'll eat them, but they don't taste nearly as good as hohos or dingdongs, which are just flat hohos.  In other parts of the country, there are companies with the same damn food.  Yodels or some shit, I think is what they are called?  There are DingDong equivalents too.  and Suzi Qs are just devils food cake full of angel semen. 

Its all stupid though.  Right before Thanksgiving, you have jackasses trying to rip people off with snacks.

I still think the strike was really poorly planned, even though it was done for a valid reason.  They should have timed that shit a bit better.  The collective voters are a bit dense in that regard. 

Strike AFTER the holidays!  The job itself isn't changing in the next ~month.   Just the shit pay/benefits/whatever.

I could be wrong because I have never done union shit, but I mean, you get no money if you're striking and circle jerking outside, right?  They could've worked through the holidays, got paid, and then strike on like Jan 1st, right?



Also, really, twinkies are best at 3am next to a bag of Funyuns and a few cans of coke while you're playing Ultima Online.    99% of these fuckers complaining about twinkies don't even know what the real experience is like. 

[Bernie]

Well, maybe those assholes will get what they deserve.  I heard on the news today that Hostess is reconsidering their decision.    We will see what unfolds.  As far as the taste of those things, I havent had a Hostess product in as long as I can remember....  But it damn sure aint worth more than the sticker price on the box.

[Opethian]

I think it was the judge that said they cannot file for bankruptcy and they should  find other ways to call the union bluff...

[OldRover]

Hey, I've got a novel idea...

-Cut the EXECUTIVES' PAY by 300%
-Use the saved money to upgrade the remaining factories for better efficiency
-Pay the fucking pensions
-Keep the employee pay where it is but don't fucking cut it because that's shitty
-Renegotiate with the materials suppliers; this is half their production cost woes
-Fix the fucking recipes! The current crop of products SUCK! Go back to the way they were before
-Reduce product cost by 5%; it will result in more sales and better penetration, and with the increased efficiency raising product throughput, profits will increase
-Invest more money in R&D like they did in the before-time... introduce better new products to keep people interested
-Carpet-bomb the advertising agencies with new promotions that promote said new products

...as a start.

[esteban]

I support the workers and their union. Period.

[soop]

Hey, I've got a novel idea...

-Fix the fucking recipes! The current crop of products SUCK! Go back to the way they were before

This is an interesting one.  In the UK, and probably the same in the US, people have been dicking around with their recipes for decades for various reasons - one is cost, one is health "benefits". For instance, a program I was listening to a few months back detailed the fact that one company started using butter or whatever 100 years ago, and now they're using processed vegetable fats which are liquid at room temprature.  Obviously it's cheaper, but they have to fuck around with the whole biscuit to get something that works.  They're constantly doing that, and people that eat them regularly don't really notice the creep, but someone who hasn't eaten one in 5 years spew it out like WTF.

Another interesting thing was a baked bean manufacturer (Heinz) talking about reducing the salt in the beans.  What they did is reduce it bit by bit without mentioning anything, until people started complaining, then they stopped.

Anyway, it is interesting, but it's probably unfeasable for them to go back without a price hike, even if they did taste like synthetic sugar-shit in the first place.

[Emerald Rocker]

The majority of the unions that were associated with Hostess had already agreed to terms.  It was one particular union that didn't agree -- a union that represents approximately 3500 out of 18000 employees.  They were even pressured by *other unions* to make a deal with management... and they still refused.

Yes, mismanagement put Hostess into dire straits.  And the upcoming 2013 increase in "per employee cost" due to the Affordable Care Act certainly didn't help their budget plans.  But there was also a conscious decision by one single union's leadership (who will continue to be well-paid since they still retain their union leadership jobs) to ignore Hostess's financial reality and put workers from EVERY union at risk.

This wasn't a simple case of management versus union.  This was also a case of multiple unions versus one union... and in the end, all the workers lost.

[Arkhan Asylum]

and all the fatasses!

[motdelbourt]

Those are fine ideas especially the first one, but the problem is the product just sucks beyond redemption, and once people get over the nostalgia and move on, there's not going to be so much demand for it. It's a mid 20th century throwback, from before people even pretended to care about their health. There's no way to greenwash a Twinkie, at least not that they'll do. I'm not sure how some similarly positioned products are still around either. I'm looking at you, Hamburger Helper.

I'm sure they could human traffic some workers in to make them for 2 cents an hour to sell at the 99 cent only store, but you don't need the branding for that kind of crap.