Tastykakes replacing Twinkies: UPDATE
Boston reader delighted to have Krimpets and Cream-Filled Tastykake Cupcakes to replace Hostess products on supermarket shelves.
Tastykakes replacing Twinkies: UPDATE
Joseph N. DiStefano
UPDATE: Yes, Tastykake is replacing Hostess brands hurt by the snackmaker's bankruptcy liquidation.
For example, in New England: "We had already been working on getting Tastykake into our stores prior to the recent Hostess news," Steve Sylven, spokesman for Shaw's supermarket chain owner Supervalu Inc., told me.
"When Flowers Foods acquired Country Kitchen earlier this year, it made Tastykake available" in New England.
"However, with the Hostess situation there was a need in the marketplace and we accelerated the roll-out. Stores began receiving their first deliveries this past Saturday and we expect all of our stores will be carrying Tastykake by this Thursday.
"I wouldn’t call it a substitute, but rather an alternative that just happens to somewhat offset the loss of Hostess in the marketplace.
EARLIER: "Looks like Flowers [Foods' Philadelphia-based] Tastykake is expanding some territory now that Hostess is down for the count," writes reader David Weinstein, a Broomall native now exiled in Stoughton, Mass.
He added an image of Tastykake Krimpets, Koffee Kake Cupcakes, and creme-stuffed chocolate cupcakes at his local Shaw's, Acme's Boston-area cousin; both are owned by SuperValu: "Being a Philly native, I immediately noticed these boxes on the shelf space today at Shaw's, in the space once occupied by Twinkies."
Weinstein wonders if this is "a test, or something that will be for the long haul? I know that many of us who live in New England love the idea of having access to Tastykakes in the supermarkets."
But are they, strictly, substitutes? Last we checked, Hostess products had a shelf-life measured in months, while Tasty makes fresh goods that expire after a couple of weeks. That means Tasty is more expensive to handle; more work for route drivers. If this catches on, maybe the state-backed South Philly bakery will finally approach capacity.
Tastykakes will put Twinkies and all other Hostess products under the table anytime.. There is NO comparison...— alby- Tastycakes don't really taste that good anymore .I guess that's progress— Jim v
- You're right, Jim, they don't taste as good anymore-- but they're still light years ahead of Hostess products. I got turned off by Twinkies when they changed their cream in the mid-1990s.— everydayguy
First we take Boston, then the world. Yes, world domination is at hand!!- everydayguy, they changed their cream because of sugar tariff. Probably the major reason why they are where they are today.— Nitroglycerin
- the real problem is the Navy yard bakery is not making money. There might be more truth to the headline than you think. I would bet Flowers is going to establish a second tastykake site, maybe Oxford, and they will then deal with the cost structure in South Philly. If I was betting in Los Vegas on this, I would put money down that tastykekes will be made somewhere else i a few years.— Dutch-wayne
- They have Tastykakes in my home town of St. Louis. Not going over too well. I have to admit, I never particularly cared for any Tastykake product other than the peanut butter Kandy Kakes. The others, especially any Krimpet left me unsatisfied.— Raymond
- You can be sure the State will never get it's money back, Joe. The State picking business winners and losers is a sad joke on the taxpayer.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- No one outside of Philly is going to love Tastykakes the same way. If you don't grow up on them, much of their product is awful. The cupcakes and pies are good, so they can build on that, but they have no equivalent to Twinkies.— Zindorf
- Terrific news for tastykake. We can only hope workers there at not under the same unions as those from Hostess. Any update on how the unions are helping those who lost their jobs, wage, benefits, etc at Hostess?— Moving On
