Crave a Twinkie? The price is going up fast online
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Twinkies are being sold on the Internet like exquisite delicacies.
Hours after Twinkie-maker Hostess announced its plans to close its doors forever, people flocked to stores to fill their shopping baskets with boxes of the cream-filled sponge cakes and their sibling snacks - Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and Zingers.
Late Friday and Saturday, the opportunists took to eBay and Craigslist. They began marketing their hoard to whimsical collectors and junk-food lovers for hundreds - and in some cases - thousands of dollars. That's a fat profit margin, when you consider the retail price for a box of 10 Twinkies is roughly $5.
Greg Edmonds of Sherman, Texas is among those who believe Twinkies are worth more now that Hostess Brands Inc. has closed its bakeries. He lost his job as a sales representative eight months ago, so he is hoping to make some money feeding the appetites of Twinkie fans and connoisseurs
After spending a couple hours driving around to stores Friday, Edmonds wound up with 16 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs. He started selling them Saturday on eBay, advertising three boxes for a hefty price of $300.
"I could really use the extra money since I'm unemployed," Edmonds, 50, said. "I figure I better sell them pretty quickly because I am not sure how long this novelty is going to last."
Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies don't last forever. Most bought in stores Friday carry an expiration date of early December,
If buyers don't bite, Edmonds isn't sure what he will do with his supply. He doesn't even like Twinkies. "I do like to have a Ding Dong, every once in a while though," he said.
John Stansel of Tampa, Fla. blanches at the thought of eating a Twinkie. He's a self-described health nut.
Yet he, too, rummaged shelves late Friday at a neighborhood Walgreens and then again early Saturday at Target and a grocery store. He spent about $100 for 20 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs. His goal: sell them for about $1,000 and put the money to good use.
"Maybe I will hire a personal trainer for myself or go do some shopping at Whole Foods or donate the money to a charity to fight diabetes," Stansel, 40, said. "No matter what, I figure I am getting sugar off the streets."
Although Hostess is shutting down, it's still possible that Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos could make a comeback. That's because Hostess is planning to sell its brands and other assets at an auction to be overseen by a U.S. bankruptcy judge in New York. Several potential buyers could emerge for Twinkies, particularly with the recent outpouring of affection.
A hearing on Hostess's liquidation request is scheduled for Monday morning.
Not all online sellers are demanding top dollar. Some boxes are being listed at $5 to $20. Others are willing to barter. "I am willing to trade a box for some good microbrew. A real quality six pack," offered a thirsty New York seller on Craigslist.
Despite his disdain for junk food, Stansel confesses he won't sell a few of his individually wrapped Twinkies. He plans to give them to his nostalgic friends and family as stocking stuffers for Christmas.
Hours after Twinkie-maker Hostess announced its plans to close its doors forever, people flocked to stores to fill their shopping baskets with boxes of the cream-filled sponge cakes and their sibling snacks - Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and Zingers.
Late Friday and Saturday, the opportunists took to eBay and Craigslist. They began marketing their hoard to whimsical collectors and junk-food lovers for hundreds - and in some cases - thousands of dollars. That's a fat profit margin, when you consider the retail price for a box of 10 Twinkies is roughly $5.
Greg Edmonds of Sherman, Texas is among those who believe Twinkies are worth more now that Hostess Brands Inc. has closed its bakeries. He lost his job as a sales representative eight months ago, so he is hoping to make some money feeding the appetites of Twinkie fans and connoisseurs
After spending a couple hours driving around to stores Friday, Edmonds wound up with 16 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs. He started selling them Saturday on eBay, advertising three boxes for a hefty price of $300.
"I could really use the extra money since I'm unemployed," Edmonds, 50, said. "I figure I better sell them pretty quickly because I am not sure how long this novelty is going to last."
Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies don't last forever. Most bought in stores Friday carry an expiration date of early December,
If buyers don't bite, Edmonds isn't sure what he will do with his supply. He doesn't even like Twinkies. "I do like to have a Ding Dong, every once in a while though," he said.
John Stansel of Tampa, Fla. blanches at the thought of eating a Twinkie. He's a self-described health nut.
Yet he, too, rummaged shelves late Friday at a neighborhood Walgreens and then again early Saturday at Target and a grocery store. He spent about $100 for 20 boxes of Twinkies and Ding Dongs. His goal: sell them for about $1,000 and put the money to good use.
"Maybe I will hire a personal trainer for myself or go do some shopping at Whole Foods or donate the money to a charity to fight diabetes," Stansel, 40, said. "No matter what, I figure I am getting sugar off the streets."
Although Hostess is shutting down, it's still possible that Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos could make a comeback. That's because Hostess is planning to sell its brands and other assets at an auction to be overseen by a U.S. bankruptcy judge in New York. Several potential buyers could emerge for Twinkies, particularly with the recent outpouring of affection.
A hearing on Hostess's liquidation request is scheduled for Monday morning.
Not all online sellers are demanding top dollar. Some boxes are being listed at $5 to $20. Others are willing to barter. "I am willing to trade a box for some good microbrew. A real quality six pack," offered a thirsty New York seller on Craigslist.
Despite his disdain for junk food, Stansel confesses he won't sell a few of his individually wrapped Twinkies. He plans to give them to his nostalgic friends and family as stocking stuffers for Christmas.
I feel bad for the people who made the products,delivered them,sold them. It sure sounds like this company was poorly managed for a long time,and is sure telling that the top brass decided to give them selves huge raises while cutting pay and benefits for those who produced,and sold the products. There have always been fat people,in my Grandparents youth I think it was quite rare,in my parents youth I will also say it was quite rare,and it was more common in my youth,and in the last 10-15 years it's become an epidemic,so it won't be something I miss,as everything they produced was unhealthy. I doubt the brand will be dead for long,they are to popular to not be valuable so some other company will by the recipes and rights when the company is liquidated in court. Sucks for the factory workers and sales and delivery people to lose their jobs at the holiday time. I will miss their disgusting fruitcake brick. I was hoping to start buying a few every year so that I would be able to build a bomb proof house.
Pay that kind of money? Me thinks not!!!
From the today show:
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Recipe: Twinkies Todd Wilbur, Ingredients Non-stick spray4 egg whitesOne 16-ounce box golden pound cake mix2/3 cup waterFilling2 teaspoons very hot water1/4 teaspoon salt2 cups marshmallow creme (one 7-ounce jar)1/2 cup shortening1/3 cup powdered sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla Preparation
You will need a spice bottle, approximately the size of a Twinkie, ten 12 x 14 -inch pieces of aluminum foil, a cake decorator or pastry bag, and a chopstick.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Fold each piece of aluminum foil in half twice. Wrap the folded foil around the spice bottle to create a mold. Leave the top of the mold open for pouring in the batter. Make 10 of these molds and arrange them on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan. Grease the inside of each mold with a light coating of non-stick spray.
Disregard the directions on the box of cake mix. Instead, beat the egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl combine cake mix with water and beat until thoroughly blended (about 2 minutes). Fold egg whites into the cake batter and slowly combine until completely mixed.
Pour the batter into the molds, filling each one about 3/4 of an inch. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
For the filling, combine salt with the hot water in a small bowl and stir until salt is dissolved. Let this mixture cool.
Combine the marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.
Add the salt solution to the filling mixture and combine.
When the cakes are done and cooled, use a skewer or chopstick to make three holes in the bottom of each one. Move the stick around inside of each cake to create space for the filling.
Using a cake decorator or pastry bag, inject each cake with filling through all three holes.
Serving Size
Serves 10
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These brands will be back. The jobs will go to "right to work" states and re employ bakers/packaging/delivery workers. The travesty isn't the lost junk food, it's the jobs and benefits lost to the 18k (+) former employees and their families.Â
Corporate greed and mismanagement collides with Union excess and inefficiency. Â
@flor3nc3 I agree there seems to be little room for compromise by either side anymore. They will both scream for compromise, kind of like the DEMS and GOP, but when it comes down to getting something actually done, it is their way or the highway.Â