Bye Bye Twinkies: Hostess to Close

Hostess Brands, the maker of iconic treats such as Twinkies and traditional pantry staple Wonder Bread, said Friday it is shuttering its plants and will seek to liquidate the 82-year-old business. The work stoppage, launched Nov. 9 by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union to protest a fresh labor contract, affected about two-thirds of Hostess's 36 plants. The striking workers, which number in the thousands Hostess said in court filings on Friday, were making it impossible for the Irving, Tex., company to continue producing its baked goods, Chief Executive Gregory Rayburn said. The CEO, a restructuring expert who took the top job at the company in March after its former leader abruptly resigned, said the wind down will take months and require few workers.