Hostess selects winning bid for Twinkies

Flowers Foods, the second-largest bakery in the US, completed its acquisition of five bread brands, 20 bakeries and 36 depots from Old HB, Inc. (formerly Hostess Brands) for $355 million. Wonder, Merita, Home Pride, Butternut and Nature's Pride bread brands will become part of Flowers Foods, which has completed over 100 acquisitions since being listed publicly in 1968. Flowers Foods has increased the reach of its fresh bread brands from 38 percent of the US population in 2003 to 77 today.