Hostess Brands Inc., a sweet snacks company, will convert an idled factory in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, into a state-of-the-art bakery. The bakery is expected to be operational in the second half of 2023 and bring approximately 150 new jobs to the community over the next three years.

Hostess Brands, whose iconic snack foods include Donettes, Twinkies, CupCakes and Ding Dongs, as well as Voortman cookies and wafers, plans to invest from $120 million to $140 million to transform the 330,000-sq.-ft. facility in Arkadelphia into a next-generation bakery. The new bakery will increase the company’s capacity across its bakeries on its Donettes and cake platforms by approximately 20%. It will also enable the company to accommodate production growth in the future.

“We’ve been profitably gaining market share across the snacking categories in which we compete,” says Andy Callahan, president and chief executive officer of Hostess Brands. “The addition of this new bakery signals our confidence that we expect the growth we have demonstrated over the last several years to continue.”

Hostess Brands’ decision to renovate an existing building will reduce the company’s costs for the new bakery as well as minimize environmental impacts.

“We are emphasizing a sustainability-first approach to this project while leveraging best practices from across our network of bakeries and we anticipate this bakery will be our most efficient and greenest operation yet,” says Callahan. “We are grateful for the help and support that we received from the city of Arkadelphia and the Arkadelphia Alliance, Clark County, the state of Arkansas and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and the partnerships we have entered into with these entities. We look forward to welcoming new team members to our newest bakery when it becomes operational in 2023 and to becoming a part of the Arkadelphia community.”

“I could not be more excited to welcome Hostess to the Arkansas family of businesses,” says Governor Asa Hutchinson. “Arkansans of all ages have enjoyed Hostess products for more than a century, so it is no wonder they are now a leading snack company. The company’s selection of Clark County speaks volumes about the confidence they have in the area’s business climate and workforce, and I am confident Hostess will find success in Arkansas.”

“This is a huge win for Arkadelphia, Clark County and the entire state,” says Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston. “Hostess is going to build a bakery of the future in Arkansas by transforming this site into a facility focused on sustainable design and practices. In addition, the Hostess facility will create 150 new jobs in south Arkansas that will have a lasting impact on the local economy.”

“Clark County will continue to attract high-quality businesses such as Hostess Brands and provide them with the resources they need to invest, create jobs and produce premium products,” says J.L. Griffin, CEO of Arkadelphia Alliance. “We are thrilled to begin a long-term partnership with Hostess Brands to bring further opportunities.”