Original Twinkies Factory To Close; Company Blames Impostors

A year ago, Twinkies were pulled from the ashes of the Hostess bankruptcy, dusted off and put back by the shelf from the brand’s new owners. But the fallout from the collapse of Hostess lingers, with an announcement today that the factory where the Twinkie was born will soon fade into memory.

Back in the 1930s, the Continental Baking Company factory in Schiller Park, IL, gave birth to the first Hostess Twinkie. The plant was one of many that shut down after Hostess filed for bankruptcy in 2012, but reopened the summer of 2013 to once again crank out super-sweet, creme-filled treats under the new Hostess Brands LLC.

But the company’s new owners say there isn’t as much demand for Twinkies thanks to the apparent flood of impostors that rushed in to steal the snack’s sugary crown. Thus the Schiller Park plant, which currently employs around 400 workers, will close in October.

“While the old Hostess company was in bankruptcy, many competitors took over the shelves and are tenaciously defending their business and thus we must be highly efficient and technologically advanced to compete,” explained Hostess Brands CEO Bill Toler in a statement to the Chicago Tribune. “As a result, we have invested in more efficient production capabilities and need to streamline our manufacturing infrastructure and protect our ability to compete.”

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