Flowers Foods - food industry company news 
On the money: Flowers confident on cakes ahead of Hostess return
17 May 2013
US baker Flowers Foods has said it is "confident" its snack cake business will continue to thrive even as the new-look Hostess Brands returns to the market, with products including Twinkies.
US: Acquisition boosts Flowers Foods Q1
16 May 2013
US baker Flowers Foods recorded an increase in earnings in the first quarter driven by gains from a recent acquisition.
The week ahead - Wal-Mart Q1s, Post Holdings H1, ProTerra conference
13 May 2013
US breakfast cereal group Post Holdings kicks off a relatively quieter week of results with its half-year numbers on Monday. On Tuesday, meat giants Marfig and JBS will report on how it fared in the first three months of the year - as will Wal-Mart on Thursday. The week also includes an international conference in the Netherlands looking at the sustainable cultivation of soy.
US: Flowers Foods sales climb, "well-positioned" for growth
21 March 2013
US baker Flowers Foods said its sales are up year-to-date and that the company is "well-positioned" for accelerated growth in 2013.
US: Hostess disposals get green light
20 March 2013
Hostess Brands has received court approval to proceed with the sale of a swathe of brands, including Twinkies and Wonder Bread, in a series of deals worth around US$800m.
US: McKee Foods to buy Hostess cake brand Drake's
15 March 2013
Privately-owned US group McKee Foods looks set to be the latest buyer of assets from bakery giant Hostess Brands.
US: Metropoulos, Apollo acquire Hostess snack cake unit
12 March 2013
Private-equity firms Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management have acquired the snack cake business of Hostess Brands.
US: Silver Point, Hurst "interested" in Hostess snack cake unit
11 March 2013
Hostess Brands creditor Silver Point Capital and hedge fund Hurst Capital are understood to be interested in buying some of the US baker's snack cake brands, including Twinkies.
US: Hostess deal faces block by government objection
5 March 2013
The proposed sale of the majority of Hostess Brands' bread businesses to Flowers Foods subsidiary FBC Georgia is facing a block after an objection to the deal was filed by the US Government.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
4 March 2013
The fall-out from the horsemeat contamination continued last week, with Tesco outlining plans to shake up its supply chain and source meat from the UK. Elsewhere, UK free-from firm Genius Foods bought out venture partner Finsbury Food Group and, in the US, more buyers were found for Hostess Brands' assets. Click on the headlines for more.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
4 March 2013
UK retailer Tesco grabbed the headlines last week as the horsemeat saga rumbled on. CEO Philip Clarke announced a raft of changes to its supply chain, including a promise to source all fresh chicken from within the UK. Elsewhere, just-food spoke with Genius CEO Roz Cuschieri about its plans for the Finsbury free-from brand it is set to acquire, and the CEO of Hostess Brands announced the successful sales of the majority of its bread units to Flowers Foods.
US: Flowers wins Wonder, Bimbo snaps up Beefsteak in Hostess auction
1 March 2013
Flowers Foods won through in its bid to acquire the majority of Hostess Brands' bread units, including Wonder, but was outbid for the Beefsteak business by rival baker Grupo Bimbo.
US: Flowers closes Earthgrains, Sara Lee deal
27 February 2013
US baker Flowers Foods has purchased the royalty-free licenses to use the Sara Lee and Earthgrains brands in California from Groupo Bimbo.
US: Shiver takes CEO role at bakery giant Flowers Foods
18 February 2013
Allen Shiver, president of US baker Flowers Foods, has been named the company's new CEO.
On the money: Flowers sees gains from Hostess demise
8 February 2013
US baker Flowers Foods has expanded its market share in the wake of Hostess Brands' move to wind down its operations.
US: Flowers delays guidance on M&A outcome
7 February 2013
US baker Flowers Foods has delayed issuing guidance for 2013 until the outcome of its attempt to buy various assets, including bread operations from Hostess Brands, is clear.
US: Hostess names PE firms "stalking horse" for Twinkies
31 January 2013
A consortium of two private-equity firms has emerged as the lead bidder for the majority of Hostess Brands' cake business, including the Twinkies brand.
US: Hostess names McKee, United States Bakery stalking horse bidders
29 January 2013
Hostess Brands has named McKee Foods and United States Bakery as the stalking horse bidders for its Drake's cake business and various bread brands.
US: Hostess to name stalking horse bidder for Drakes - report
25 January 2013
Hostess Brands, the producer of well-known brands such as Twinkies, is preparing to file a "stalking horse" agreement for its Drakes bakery brand next week, it is understood.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
21 January 2013
News that Flowers Food has emerged as the "stalking horse" bidder for various Hostess Brands bread brands in the US caught our attention last week. Meanwhile, an entirely different kind of horse got tongues wagging on this side of the pond when food safety officials found horse meat had been used in the production of burgers in the UK and Ireland. There has also been a flurry of news from the confectionery sector, with Barry Callebaut, Lindt and Thorntons hitting the headlines. We can expect more from this category in the coming weeks as the industry gears up for ISM, one of the calendar's biggest trade shows. just-food will be reporting live (and possibly even indulging our sweet tooth).
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
21 January 2013
Horse meat is the topic that kept the just-food newsroom busy last week after food safety officials found horse meat had been used in the production of burgers in the UK and Ireland. Tesco was the first to announce the recall of some ranges of burgers, with other retailers quick to follow suit. Elsewhere, Flowers Food emerged as the "stalking horse" bidder for various Hostess Brands bread brands in the US, and in the UK just-food spoke with Thorntons CEO Jonathan Hart on the firm's second-quarter results and his plans for the confectionery firm going forward.
US: Bimbo seen as front-runner for Hostess cake brands
18 January 2013
Mexican baker Groupo Bimbo is believed to be the front-runner in the sale of Hostess Brands snack cake interests, which includes various well-known brands such as Twinkies.
Deal or no deal: "Stalking horse" Flowers eyes Hostess bread brands
15 January 2013
Flowers Foods showed its hand when it emerged as the "stalking horse" bidder for parts of Hostess Brands' bread business, notably the Wonder and Nature's Pride brands. While the deal is not yet in the bag, Flowers has clearly emerged as the front-runner to snap up a significant chunk of Hostess' bread interests. Katy Askew takes a look at the impact the potential acquisition could have on Flowers.
US: Flowers "stalking horse" for Hostess bread brands
14 January 2013
US baker Flowers Foods has reached an agreement with Hostess Brands to acquire its Wonder, Nature's Pride, Merita, Home Pride and Butternut bread brands for around US$360m.
US: Hostess expects to complete sale within months
2 January 2013
Hostess Brands has indicated that it expects to complete the auction process selling off its brands and assets within a matter of months.
US: Wal-Mart, Kroger "bidders" for Hostess assets
14 December 2012
US retailers Wal-Mart Stores and Kroger are understood to be one of a number of bidders for the assets of US baker and Twinkies owner Hostess Brands.
US: Hostess Brands receives 110 potential bids
30 November 2012
US baker and Twinkies owner Hostess Brands, which this week received court permission to wind down its business, has received interest from 110 potential buyers.
US: Flowers extends loan facility amid link to Twinkies
19 November 2012
US baker Flowers Foods has extended a US$500m loan facility, news that emerged as it was being linked as possible buyer of brands and assets owned by failed Twinkies owner Hostess Brands.
US: Flowers raises sales outlook on Q3 gains
9 November 2012
US baker Flowers Foods has reported a slight lift in third-quarter earnings, which were boosted by "solid" sales gains.
US: Flowers acquires Sara Lee, Earthgrains assets in California
29 October 2012
Flowers Foods has acquired the licence to the Earthgrains and Sara Lee brands in California from Grupo Bimbo.
