As potential buyers line up to pick the sweet, slightly artificial-tasting bones of Hostess, it appears more and more likely that the company’s snacks will end up under new ownership that doesn’t include Hostess’ bread brands.

It’s like one of those industrial revolution tales of orphaned siblings being split up and sent off to live with different sets of parents. Except this is about snack cakes and incredibly white sandwich bread, so it’s even more heartbreaking.

Earlier today, Hostess provided an update to the bankruptcy court on the bids it has received for the various brands still currently under its umbrella, including but not limited to: Twinkies, Devil Dogs, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, Zingers, Dolly Madison (the dessert cakes; not the person), Drake’s, Wonder Bread, and Home Pride.

A lawyer for the company testified that there is a likely suitor for the snack brands. This unidentified bidder is also into the idea of buying the Drake’s plant in Wayne, N.J., which the company claims is the only kosher bakery plant in the country. There have been separate bids for the bread brands.

The company expects to launch a four-week auction process for all of its brands in early 2013, with the hope that some of these deals could be done as soon as March.

While the potential buyers have not been named, the AP reports that the bidders represent everything from other large packaged food companies to national retailers, including both big-box retailers and supermarkets.

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