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Twinkie

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For other uses, see Twinkie (disambiguation).

The logo of Twinkies, a product of Hostess.

The Twinkie is an American snack cake, described as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". It was formerly made and distributed by Hostess Brands. The brand is currently owned by Hostess Brands, Inc., itself currently owned by The J.M. Smucker Company and having been formerly owned by private equity firms Apollo Global Management and C. Dean Metropoulos and Company as the second incarnation of Hostess Brands.[1] During bankruptcy proceedings, Twinkie production was suspended on November 15, 2012, and resumed after an absence of a few months from American store shelves, becoming available again nationwide on July 15, 2013.[2][3]

Grupo Bimbo's Vachon Inc., which owns the Canadian rights to the product and made them during their absence from the U.S. market,[4] produces Twinkies in Canada at a bakery in Montreal. They are made in Emporia, Kansas, in the U.S.[5] Twinkies are also available in Mexican stores as "Submarinos" made by Marinela, and as "Tuinky" made by Wonder; both Marinela and Wonder are also subsidiaries of Mexican bread company Grupo Bimbo.[6][7] In Egypt, Twinkies are produced under the company Edita. Twinkies are also available in the United Kingdom and Ireland under the Hostess brand name where they are sold in Sainsburys, Tesco, ASDA, and B&M stores. Twinkies are produced and distributed by multiple commercial bakeries in China,[8] where Hostess does not own the brand.[9]

History

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Box of Hostess Twinkies by Saputo Incorporated, sold in Canada

Twinkies were invented on April 6, 1930, by Canadian-born baker James "Jimmy" Alexander Dewar for the Continental Baking Company[10] in Schiller Park, Illinois.[11] Realizing that several machines used for making cream-filled strawberry shortcakes sat idle when strawberries were out of season, Dewar conceived a snack cake filled with banana cream, which he dubbed the Twinkie.[12] He said he came up with the name when he saw a billboard in St. Louis for "Twinkle Toe Shoes".[13][14]

During World War II, bananas were rationed, and the company was forced to switch to vanilla cream. This change proved popular, and banana-cream Twinkies were not widely re-introduced. The original flavor was occasionally found in limited time only promotions; the company used vanilla cream for most Twinkies.[15] In 1988, Fruit and Cream Twinkies were introduced with a strawberry filling swirled into the cream. The product was soon dropped.[16] Vanilla's dominance over banana flavoring was challenged in 2005, following a month-long promotion of the movie King Kong. Hostess saw its Twinkie sales rise 20% during the promotion; in 2007, the company restored the banana-cream Twinkie to its snack lineup although they are now made with 2% banana purée.[17][18]

In November 2012, as Hostess announced its plan to shut down its operations, Time ranked the Twinkie #1 in its list of 10 "iconic" junk foods, saying that "they've been a staple in our popular culture and, above all, in our hearts. Often criticized for its lack of any nutritional value whatsoever,[a] the Twinkie has managed to persevere as a cultural and gastronomical icon."[20]

Hostess bankruptcy

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On January 11, 2012,[21] parent company Hostess filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[13] Twinkie sales for the year, as of December 25, 2011, were 36 million packages, down almost 20% from a year earlier.[13] Hostess said customers had migrated to healthier foods.[13] On November 16, 2012, Hostess officially announced that it "will be winding down operations and has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court seeking permission to close its business and sell its assets, including its iconic brands and facilities." Bakery operations were suspended at all plants.[22]

Box of Hostess Twinkies by Hostess Brands prior to bankruptcy

On November 19, 2012, Hostess and the Bakers Union agreed to mediation, delaying the shutdown for two days. On November 21, 2012, U.S. bankruptcy judge Robert Drain approved Hostess' request to shut down, ending Twinkie production in the United States.[23]

Return of Twinkies to U.S. market

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A cross-section of "Limited Edition" Chocolate Creme Twinkies from 2011

On March 18, 2013, it was reported that Twinkies would return to store shelves in May of that year. Twinkies, along with other Hostess Brands, were purchased out of bankruptcy by Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co for $410 million.[24][25] Twinkies returned to U.S. shelves on July 15, 2013.[26] Apollo subsequently sold Hostess for $2.3 billion.[27]

Before Hostess Brands filed for bankruptcy, Twinkies were reduced in size. They now contain 135 kilocalories (560 kJ) and have a mass of 38.5 grams, while the original Twinkies contained 150 kilocalories (630 kJ) and had a mass of 42.5 grams. The new Twinkies also have a longer shelf life of 45 days, which was also a change made before bankruptcy, compared to the 26 days of the original Twinkies.[28]

Twinkies Cereal, made by Post, was introduced in December 2020.[29]

In 2017, Chocolate Cake Twinkies came on the market.[citation needed]

Deep-fried Twinkie

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A deep-fried Twinkie

Deep frying a Twinkie involves freezing the cake, dipping it into batter, and deep-frying it. A story in The New York Times about the deep fried Twinkie with one of its claimed inventors — Christopher Sell, originally from Rugby, England — described this way: "Something magical occurs when the pastry hits the hot oil. The creamy white vegetable shortening filling liquefies, impregnating the sponge cake with its luscious vanilla flavor.... The cake itself softens and warms, nearly melting, contrasting with the crisp, deep-fried crust in a buttery and suave way. The pièce de résistance, however, is a ruby-hued berry sauce, adding a tart sophistication to all that airy sugary goodness."[30]

In 2002, Brooklyn restaurateur Clint Mullen introduced the fried Twinkie at several state and county fairs to great popular acclaim, and the notion spread to other establishments that specialize in fried foods.[31] Fried Twinkies are sold throughout the U.S. in fairs as well as ball games, and in various restaurants. Starting in August 2016, Walmart began selling prepackaged, frozen versions of the deep-fried Twinkie at stores nationwide in the US.[32]

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Television and film

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In 1984, the Twinkie became known worldwide in countries that did not sell the confection, due to a reference in the hit film Ghostbusters.[33] In the film, the character Egon Spengler describes a speculated level of psychokinetic energy and uses a regular-sized Twinkie to represent the normal level of such energy in New York City. He then says that based on a recent sample, the Twinkie representing New York would be over 35 ft (11 m) long and weigh approximately 600 lb (270 kg), to which the character Winston Zeddemore replies, "That's a big Twinkie."[33]

On the Christmas Eve of 1988, Al Powell, one of the most iconic characters of Die Hard, is introduced to the audience as a big Twinkie fan, in a scene where he is buying a lot of Twinkies at a local 7-Eleven near the Nakatomi Plaza, also known as 2121 Avenue of the Stars. He jokingly says "they are for my wife... she's pregnant".[34]

The 1999 Family Guy episode "Da Boom" involves the Griffin family moving to Natick, Massachusetts, in search of a Twinkie factory following the Y2K apocalypse. The factory is shown to have survived completely intact, allowing the Griffins to use it as a food source and a means to rebuild society.

In the 2009 film Zombieland, Twinkies are the favorite snack of the character Tallahassee, who develops an obsession with finding one in the middle of a Zombie apocalypse.

Song lyrics

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"Habits (Stay High)", a 2013 song by Swedish singer Tove Lo, mentions Twinkies in the line "I get home, I got the munchies / Binge on all my Twinkies / Throw up in the tub / Then I go to sleep."[35] In an interview, the singer confessed she had thought that "twinkie" was a synonym for "cookie" and that Hostess had sent her a sample of the product after the success of the song.[36]

Twinkie defense

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Main article: Twinkie defense

"Twinkie defense" is a derisive label for an improbable legal defense. It is not a recognized legal defense in jurisprudence, but a catch-all term coined by reporters during their coverage of the trial of defendant Dan White for the murders of San Francisco city Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. White's defense was that he suffered diminished capacity as a result of his depression. His change in diet from healthful food to Twinkies and other sugary foods was said to be a symptom of depression. Contrary to common belief, White's attorneys did not argue that the Twinkies were the cause of White's actions, but that their consumption was symptomatic of his underlying depression.[12]

Shelf life

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A common urban legend claims that Twinkies have a theoretically infinite shelf life, and can last unspoiled for a relatively long time of ten, fifty, or one hundred years due to the chemicals used in their production.[37] More radically, it is even claimed Twinkies could survive a nuclear war.[38]

The TV show The Simpsons depicted this claim in its 5th-season episode "Homer and Apu". A customer at the Kwik-E-Mart screws up a Twinkie and throws it on the floor in anger. Apu shouts after him, saying he cannot hurt a Twinkie. It then pops back into shape and Apu puts it back on the stand.[39]

The 2012 Super Bowl Chevy Silverado Apocalypse commercial also gives a nod to the Twinkie's reputed durability.[40]

In reality, Twinkies are on the shelf for a short time; a company executive told The New York Times in 2000 that the "Twinkie is on the shelf no more than 7 to 10 days."[41]

The maximum shelf life was reported to have been 26 days, until the addition of stronger preservatives made beginning in 2012 increased it to 45 days.[42][38] A box of Twinkies from shortly before Hostess's bankruptcy in 2012 was opened eight years later; one had completely molded over with cladosporium, another had a small amount of mold, and the creme filling in a third Twinkie had turned brown with the taste of "old sock".[43]

Twinkie diet

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In 2010, Kansas State University professor Mark Haub went on a "convenience store" diet consisting mainly[44] of a snack of Twinkies, Oreos, or Doritos every 3 hours in an attempt to demonstrate to his students "...that in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most, not the nutritional value of the food." He lost 27 pounds (12 kg) over a two-month period, returning his body mass index (BMI) to within normal range.[45][46]

In addition to Twinkies, Haub ate Little Debbie snack cakes, cereals, cookies, brownies, Doritos, Oreos and other kinds of high calorie, low-nutrition foods that are usually found at convenience stores. However, despite calling it the "Twinkie diet", Haub also consumed 1 protein shake per day and one serving of canned green beans or 4 celery stalks, along with the Twinkies, Oreos, and Doritos.[47] Besides the protein shake and multivitamin, Haub also ate nutritionally dense whole milk, carrots, and vitamin fortified cereal.[48][49][50] This contradicts representations by other media outlets stating that Haub "only" ate junk food.[51] He ate the vegetables at the dinner table in order to set a good example for his children.[52]

It is claimed legendary bodybuilder Sergio Oliva would sometimes indulge in eating a box of Twinkies (with a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew) after his notoriously strenuous workouts.[53][54]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This is a case of hyperbole; the nutritional facts of 1 serving (2 Twinkie cakes) describes, inter alia, 2 grams of protein and 1 milligram of iron.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill. "Smuckers Buying Hostess Brands In $5.6 Billion Snack Food Deal". Forbes. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  2. ^ Parija Kavilanz (July 12, 2013). "'First batch' Twinkies go on sale at Walmart". CNN. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  3. ^ Staff and wire reports (July 12, 2013). "Hostess Twinkies make an early return to Southland shelves". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  4. ^ Marotte, Bertrand (November 16, 2012). "As Hostess winds up, who will bite on Twinkies?". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  5. ^ "The Kansas City Star". Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  6. ^ "Donatwinkiesaunamericano.org". April 9, 2016. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  7. ^ "Campaña de la semana: Dona Twinkies a un Americano". Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  8. ^ "Twinkies China". Green Lounge. Archived from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  9. ^ "How Hostess Surrendered The Twinkies Brand In China". Seeking Alpha. Archived from the original on November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.(subscription required)
  10. ^ Biemer, John (April 30, 2006). "Homeowner Discovers That Mr. Twinkie Slept There". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on August 31, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  11. ^ Staff and wire reports (August 21, 2014). "Hostess closing bakery that created the Twinkie". MSN Money. Archived from the original on August 23, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  12. ^ a b Belcher, Jerry (June 3, 1985). "Man Who Concocted the Twinkie Dies : James A. Dewar's Treat Is Part of America's Diet and Folklore". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2011. It was Dewar's inspiration to fill the cakes with a sugar-cream mixture, the formula for which is still a tightly held secret.
  13. ^ a b c d Ovide, Shira (September 2, 2011). "Great Moments in Twinkies History". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 31, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  14. ^ Harper, Douglas R. "Twinkie". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "The History of the Hostess Twinkie". Kitchenproject.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  16. ^ Continental Baking Company (1988). "Fruit and Cream Twinkies commercial". Continental Baking Company. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  17. ^ "Banana Twinkies: Made with Real Bananas -- in the 1930s". CBS News. March 25, 2011. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  18. ^ Shepherd, Lauren (June 13, 2007). "Hostess selling banana-creme Twinkies". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  19. ^ "Classic". Hostess. March 9, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  20. ^ Grossman, Samantha (November 16, 2012). "Top 10 Iconic Junk Foods". Time. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  21. ^ Knipp, Christopher. "City of Saginaw, Michigan; Notice of Chapter 11" (PDF). Hostess Brands, LLC. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 23, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  22. ^ Erik_Halvorson, Blynn Austin. "Hostess Brands is closed; HOSTESS BRANDS TO WIND DOWN COMPANY AFTER BCTGM UNION STRIKE CRIPPLES OPERATIONS". Hostess Brands, LLC. Media_Division. Archived from the original on November 18, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  23. ^ "Twinkie maker Hostess to 'immediately' fire 15,000 workers as liquidation approved". Business.financialpost.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  24. ^ Chris Isidore (March 13, 2013). "Twinkies due on shelves by summer as $410 million bid OK'd". CNNMoney. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  25. ^ Mark Lacter (March 12, 2013). "Hooray, Twinkies are coming back". LA Observed. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  26. ^ "Twinkies, Hostess snacks back in stores today". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  27. ^ Corkery, Michael (December 10, 2016). "How the Twinkie Made the Superrich Even Richer". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  28. ^ Choi, Candace (July 15, 2013). "New Twinkies weigh less, have fewer calories". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  29. ^ Heil, Emily. "Review | The new Twinkies cereal tastes like a spoonful of sugary nostalgia — and never gets soggy". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  30. ^ "Fry That Twinkie, But Hold the Chips". The New York Times. May 15, 2002. Archived from the original on June 1, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  31. ^ "New junk food fad: Deep-fried Twinkies". CNN. September 18, 2002. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  32. ^ "Walmart is selling deep-fried Twinkies". CNN. August 12, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  33. ^ a b Hays, Julia (February 26, 2016). "Celebrate the New Ghostbusters With Slime-Filled Twinkies". E! Online. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  34. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtS-Ay_Bsyg
  35. ^ Pathak, Shirani M. (October 6, 2014). "Heart Break For The Self-Respecting Woman". Relationship Center of Silicon Valley. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  36. ^ Held, Joey (April 7, 2015). "Tove Lo on Coming Back from Surgery and the Stupidity of Censorship". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  37. ^ "Forever Twinkies". Snopes – Urban Legends Reference Pages. May 19, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  38. ^ a b TIME, The Editors of (June 24, 2016). TIME American Originals: The Things That Shaped Our Culture. Time Inc. Books. ISBN 978-1-68330-278-0. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  39. ^ "Twinkie". Wikisimpsons.
  40. ^ "Chevy Guys Live, Ford Guys Die in Silverado's Super Bowl Ad". Adweek -Creativity. February 3, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  41. ^ Kelley, Tina (March 23, 2000). "Twinkie Strike Afflicts Fans With Snack Famine". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 4, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  42. ^ Kim, Susanna (July 9, 2013). "What's New About the Twinkie and Other Hostess Brands Favorites". ABC News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  43. ^ Greenfield-Boyce, Neil (October 15, 2020). "A disturbing Twinkie that has so far defied science". All Things Considered. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  44. ^ "Nutrition prof's 'convenience store' diet shows calories count most when shedding pounds". MinnPost. November 12, 2010. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  45. ^ Park, Madison (November 8, 2010). "Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds". CNN. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  46. ^ "Exclusive Interview with Prof. Mark Haub". evilcyber.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  47. ^ "Healthy Diet of Twinkies? - Organic Authority". Organicauthority.com. December 2, 2010. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  48. ^ "Mark Haub junk food diet experiment". The Sydney Morning Herald. November 10, 2010. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  49. ^ "Mark Haub's Snack Food Diet". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  50. ^ "K-State Professor Talks About His Junk Food Diet And Nutrition Labels". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  51. ^ "Professor aims to dispel diet myths with calorie-controlled junk food diet". foodnavigator-usa.com. September 2010. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  52. ^ "Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds". www.cnn.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  53. ^ Jordan (July 4, 2021). "Sergio Oliva's Workout Routine". Iron and Grit Fitness. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  54. ^ "Best Genetics Ever? Why It Has To Be Sergio Oliva". musculardevelopment.com. Retrieved January 3, 2024.

Further reading

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