Latest news with #Donettes
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
East side Indy Hostess plant will close by early 2026, J.M. Smucker says
J.M. Smucker has announced plans to shutter the longstanding Hostess plant on the east side of Indianapolis by early 2026, a move that is expected to put hundreds of local workers out of a job. J.M. Smucker, the parent company of Hostess based in Orville, Ohio, said in a May 27 press release it aims to consolidate operations and sell the Indianapolis facility at the corner of 30th Street and Shadeland Avenue Roughly 260 people work at the Indianapolis Hostess plant, according to a facility map on the Smucker website. Since 1957, workers at the east side plant have baked beloved products, beginning with Wonder Bread and later expanding to other Hostess baked goods, like the iconic Twinkies cakes and Donettes mini donuts. The plant changed hands in the 1990s and briefly closed in 2012 due to Hostess declaring bankruptcy before reopening a year later. Hostess Brands, along with the Indianapolis facility, was acquired by the J.M. Smucker Company in 2023. In a statement, J.M. Smucker executives said the closure is part of the company's "Sweet Baked Snacks" strategy, which is focused on growing the Hostess brand and increasing the company's position in the sweet baked goods category at the grocery store. "This decision continues the ongoing work to ensure our manufacturing network is optimized to mitigate costs and reduce complexity in support of the execution of our Sweet Baked Snacks strategy, which is focused on stabilizing the Hostess business and positioning it for long-term growth," said Judd Freitag, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Pet and Sweet Baked Snacks. "Any decision that impacts our employees is only made after careful consideration. We appreciate the contributions of our Indianapolis employees, and we will support them through this transition." Indianapolis manufacturing: Roche will put $550 million facility for glucose monitors in Indianapolis, adding 650 jobs The company also makes Hostess products at two plants in Kansas and one site in Georgia. J.M. Smucker will release more information on how it will close and sell the Indianapolis plant on its June 10 earnings call.
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Hostess Twinkies' Munchie Mobile: Smucker Targets Stoners For 4/20
Imagine the iconic kid's brand Hostess Twinkies cruising in a "Munchie Mobile" to cannabis dispensaries. This isn't The Onion. This isn't a Saturday Night Live sketch. It's J.M. Smucker's new marketing tactic for the 106-year-old Hostess brand they bought in 2023. As Katie Deighton describes in the Wall Street Journal, Twinkie the Kid is "taking a siesta." In his place is a campaign targeting cannabis fans celebrating 4/20, the unofficial national holiday for cannabis culture. The Munchie Mobile visits East Coast dispensaries at 4:20 p.m. daily. It ends with a six-hour event in Brooklyn on April 20th. This initiative marks a sharp turn for a brand known for childhood nostalgia. Smucker admits Hostess had lost relevance. I find this embrace of cannabis culture fascinating after decades of family-friendly marketing - it seems unprecedented for a brand like Twinkies. A pun-filled press release notes the brand is 'taking the high road' and includes the promise, 'We Twinkie swear it will be lit.' Smucker paid $4.6 billion for Hostess at a time when the pandemic was boosting sales of snack items. Now, snack sales are down industry-wide. Weight-loss drugs threaten to change eating habits. With their sweet snack sales dropping by 7%, Smucker needs to find new customers fast. Smucker is trying multiple approaches. They've redesigned packaging. They created a "Speakie Snackie" promotion. People say phrases like "Bet you dollars to Donettes I have the munchies" for free snacks. Brands need emotional connections with consumers. Smucker gets this. They tap into Hostess's bold heritage with slightly irreverent marketing. They're also launching mini versions of popular items. They have already brought back Suzy Q's cakes and my own guilty pleasure, HoHos. This strategy uses sound psychology. Associating Twinkies with post-cannabis snacking creates strong purchase triggers. When you get "the munchies," you might remember that Twinkie ad. Free samples leverage the principle of "reciprocity." I've seen this work countless times. When someone gives us something free, we feel obligated to return the favor. And, at the same time the brand is handing out the freebies, they are showing the recipients that they are part of the same identity group. That invokes Robert Cialdini's 'liking' principle, if not the stronger 'unity.' Of course, only a handful of customers will be able to visit the Munchie Mobile in person during it's brief East Coast run. The brand is counting on broader exposure driven by its unexpected and unconventional pivot. Many marketers fear trying things that might alienate traditional customers, but the old fans of Hostess Twinkies were already leaving. Sometimes bold moves are needed to stay relevant.
