Latest news with #WonderBread
Indianapolis Star
2 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.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Mystery Explained: Why Hot Dogs Come in 10-Packs but Buns in 8
Have you ever bought hot dogs and buns for a cookout, only to realize you're either two buns short or two wieners over? You'd think that, by now, the makers of America's favorite ballpark snack would have solved this weird puzzle. Think again. Now, this might sound like a silly conversation to have at a time when many folks are facing much more prescient problems. And you're right—but hear me out because sometimes solving little mysteries gives us the courage to solve the bigger ones. Baby steps. Come with me on this curious and historic journey to find out why we can't get our hot dog to bun ratio sorted. Before about 1940, hot dogs were bought and sold from local butcher shops and were not packaged as they are today. Shoppers would simply ask the butcher for the amount of sausages they needed and would be charged by the pound. This brings us up to modern day meat packaging, wherein meat is still typically sold by the pound. One standard American hot dog is approximately 1.6 ounces. If you do the math, that means that it takes 10 hotdogs to get you to one pound. It simply makes sense, from a meat-packing and butchering perspective, to sell them by the pound, not by the piece. Similarly, modern bakehouses are optimized for efficiency with standards and systems set firmly in place. Buns are typically baked in clusters of four in pans designed to produce eight rolls apiece. It simply doesn't make sense for most bakeries to completely upend their production systems and pan designs to accommodate the average number of hot dogs in a pack. The light at the end of the tunnel: In 2022, Heinz and Wonder Bread partnered to solve this very issue in Canada by brokering a partnership to create 10-packs of buns. Maybe a similar deal is on the horizon for the United States. In the meantime, though, we Americans will just have to find a use for those two extra sausages. My suggestion? Cut those suckers up and make a small batch of pigs in blankets for brunch the next day. Everybody wins! Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Q4 Earnings Roundup: Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO) And The Rest Of The Perishable Food Segment
The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let's take a look at how Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO) and the rest of the perishable food stocks fared in Q4. The perishable food industry is diverse, encompassing large-scale producers and distributors to specialty and artisanal brands. These companies sell produce, dairy products, meats, and baked goods and have become integral to serving modern American consumers who prioritize freshness, quality, and nutritional value. Investing in perishable food stocks presents both opportunities and challenges. While the perishable nature of products can introduce risks related to supply chain management and shelf life, it also creates a constant demand driven by the necessity for fresh food. Companies that can efficiently manage inventory, distribution, and quality control are well-positioned to thrive in this competitive market. Navigating the perishable food industry requires adherence to strict food safety standards, regulations, and labeling requirements. The 11 perishable food stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts' consensus estimates by 1.4%. Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 7.5% since the latest earnings results. With Wonder Bread as its premier brand, Flower Foods (NYSE:FLO) is a packaged foods company that focuses on bakery products such as breads, buns, and cakes. Flowers Foods reported revenues of $1.11 billion, down 1.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts' expectations by 1.5%, but it was still a satisfactory quarter for the company with full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts' expectations but a miss of analysts' organic revenue estimates. "Flowers' strong execution of our portfolio strategy and cost savings initiatives drove fourth quarter and full year 2024 adjusted EPS growth in a difficult economic environment," said Ryals McMullian, chairman and CEO of Flowers Foods. Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 9.7% since reporting and currently trades at $17.45. Is now the time to buy Flowers Foods? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Founded in 1983 in California, Mission Produce (NASDAQ:AVO) grows, packages, and distributes avocados. Mission Produce reported revenues of $334.2 million, up 29.2% year on year, outperforming analysts' expectations by 17%. The business had an incredible quarter with an impressive beat of analysts' EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts' EBITDA estimates. Mission Produce scored the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is down 17% since reporting. It currently trades at $9.80. Is now the time to buy Mission Produce? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Translating to "of the mountain" in Spanish, Fresh Del Monte (NYSE:FDP) is a leader in providing high-quality, sustainably grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh Del Monte Produce reported revenues of $1.01 billion, flat year on year, falling short of analysts' expectations by 2%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts' EBITDA and gross margin estimates. As expected, the stock is down 2.8% since the results and currently trades at $30. Read our full analysis of Fresh Del Monte Produce's results here. A pioneer at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution, Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) is a food company specializing in alternatives to traditional meat products. Beyond Meat reported revenues of $76.66 million, up 4% year on year. This number topped analysts' expectations by 1.9%. Aside from that, it was a softer quarter as it logged a significant miss of analysts' adjusted operating income estimates. The stock is down 22.5% since reporting and currently trades at $2.75. Read our full, actionable report on Beyond Meat here, it's free. Known for its delicious pineapples and Hawaiian roots, Dole (NYSE:DOLE) is a global agricultural company specializing in fresh fruits and vegetables. Dole reported revenues of $2.17 billion, up 4.6% year on year. This result beat analysts' expectations by 6.9%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also recorded a solid beat of analysts' EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts' adjusted operating income estimates. The stock is down 2.2% since reporting and currently trades at $13.74. Read our full, actionable report on Dole here, it's free. As a result of the Fed's rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has come down from frothy levels post-pandemic. The general rise in the price of goods and services is trending towards the Fed's 2% goal as of late, which is good news. The higher rates that fought inflation also didn't slow economic activity enough to catalyze a recession. So far, soft landing. This, combined with recent rate cuts (half a percent in September 2024 and a quarter percent in November 2024) have led to strong stock market performance in 2024. The icing on the cake for 2024 returns was Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. Presidential Election in early November, sending major indices to all-time highs in the week following the election. Still, debates around the health of the economy and the impact of potential tariffs and corporate tax cuts remain, leaving much uncertainty around 2025. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 6 Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Join Paid Stock Investor Research Help us make StockStory more helpful to investors like yourself. Join our paid user research session and receive a $50 Amazon gift card for your opinions. Sign up here. Sign in to access your portfolio
Miami Herald
06-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Famous supermarket brand unveils sweet lineup
When we think back to the days of lunch boxes and school cafeterias, we probably picture ourselves indulging in a delightful meal of peanut butter and jelly sandwiched between two slices of unadulterated white bread. And whether you're a millennial, Gen Xer, or baby boomer, that sandwich of yours was probably made with Wonder Bread. Of course, Wonder Bread comes in several varieties. But many of us associate the brand with the classic white bread experience -- a soft, fluffy sheet of goodness that graced not only our lunch boxes, but our dinner plates on those nights when we were too tired to cook as adults. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter But it's not just the taste of Wonder Bread that made it so iconic. It's also the packaging. Related: Reese's finally offers the 'cup' candy lovers dreamed of Those bright, colorful dots made you excited to whip up a sandwich, whether for yourself or someone else. Now, Wonder is introducing a new product line. And it might evoke a sense of nostalgia for a different reason. Wonder has expanded its bread lineup through the years, but now, for the first time in the brand's 104-year history, it's diving into a related but new product category -- snack cakes. There's a bit of a history there. Flowers Foods, which owns the Wonder brand, purchased it and other brands more than 10 years ago from then-bankrupt Hostess Brands for $360 million. At the time of the sale, Hostess' cake brands, including Ding Dongs and Twinkies, were sold to a different entity. Today, they're part of J.M. Smucker. Related: Krispy Kreme returns fan favorite collection with new additions Now, Wonder is going to be offering some tasty choices that are reminiscent of the iconic Hostess products we all know and love. The new lineup includes: Creme-filled confetti cakes Powdered mini donutsFrosted mini donutsCreme-filled chocolate cupcakesPecan cinnamon twistsGlazed honey buns "For generations, Wonder bread has been a staple in American households," said Ashley Hornsby, director of brand management, in a statement. "With the launch of our new treats, we're excited to bring that same sense of nostalgia and joy to a new category, giving consumers a delicious way to enjoy Wonder beyond the bread aisle." Although consumers have been more careful with their grocery spending, as well as their broad spending, in the wake of sticky inflation, snack food sales don't seem to be slowing down. Snack cake sales, in particular, have been strong in recent years, soaring from $1 billion in 2019 to $1.6 billion in 2023, according to Circana data cited by the National Confectioners Association. Related: Coca-Cola and Pepsi Face an Unlikely New Rival With a Unique New Drink Wonder's foray into snack cakes allows the brand to enter a new section of the grocery store. And given Wonder's strong brand recognition, there's a good chance customers will be quick to give its sweet new lineup a try. Flowers Foods already has its hands in the snack food pot with the Tastykake and Mrs. Freshley's brands. The new lineup of Wonder products will allow the company to capture even more of that market. Of course, one challenge the company will face is the number of players in the snack cake space. From Drake's to Hostess to Little Debbie, consumers already have a plethora of packaged cake and donut products to choose from. More Retail News: Target announces expansion in new area parents will loveMajor healthcare company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Top brands unveil nostalgic new beverage and snack releases Plus, snack cakes do tend to be a product consumed heavily by children. And children tend to be picky about and loyal to the brands they love. Some parents may be hesitant to splurge on Wonder snack cake products, knowing that Twinkies are a sure thing in their household. But if there's one thing Wonder has going for it, it's brand reputation. That alone might help it emerge a winner in the snack cake space. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lori Falce: President Trump doesn't understand groceries
Apr. 4—Groceries are not old-fashioned. For some reason, President Donald Trump appears fascinated with the word. It started back in August on the campaign trail, when he was working on his economic record and the high prices Americans were seeing on food. He stood at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey in front of a display of Wonder Bread, Hunt's ketchup, Hillshire Farms lunch meat, Maxwell House coffee, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Froot Loops and talked about what Americans couldn't afford. A box of Cheerios caught his attention. He hadn't seen them in a long time, he said. But on Wednesday, he brought the focus to food again in the midst of his post-stock-market-closing speech announcing a wide roll-out of tariffs against most of the world. "An old-fashioned term that we use — groceries," he said, seeming to roll the word around in his mouth, tasting it. "It's such an old-fashioned term but a beautiful term. Groceries. It says a bag with different things in it." Groceries aren't a quaint idea for a billionaire's or politician's amusement. Cheerios aren't a nostalgic throwback. Food is a necessity. Groceries are what keep families going. They are the breakfast you grab on the way out the door. They are the lunches your kids take to school. They are the dinners on the table at night. And they cost more than they did before. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — a nonpartisan, nonpolitical, policy-neutral government agency tasked with giving "accurate and objective" economic data — consumer spending in February was up $87.8 billion. For food and beverages, that was an increase of $10 billion over January. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that won't stop. In March, it predicted food costs would increase 3.2% in 2025. The tariffs could change that. Aside from the tariff impacts feared early on in the Trump administration for Mexican and Canadian products, like produce and maple syrup, the new announcement could hit hard. America imports most sugar. Staples like coffee and chocolate come from parts of the world with very different climates. We can't just start growing bananas in Pennsylvania. Placing tariffs on these products is different from placing tariffs on cars. While the cost of auto tariffs can be far-ranging because of how many businesses rely on them, that's a game of increments in most cases. American households don't buy cars every day. And with high prices, they are likely to try to stretch out buying a replacement as long as possible. But groceries? That's not an old-fashioned word. That's a weekly trip to the store. The groceries have to be replenished. The kids have to be fed. Groceries are more than "a bag with different things in it." Groceries are the thing many families have already been stretching as far as they could. The tariffs mean that bag will have less in it. Lori Falce is the Tribune-Review community engagement editor and an opinion columnist. For more than 30 years, she has covered Pennsylvania politics, Penn State, crime and communities. She joined the Trib in 2018. She can be reached at lfalce@
