Twinkies are officially back on store shelves Monday, but Hostess has bigger plans for their snack cake line, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The company is in the process of making products that are "more appealing to younger consumers, lighter on the calories and possibly gluten free." That means the possibility of more treats flavored with peanut butter and the potential of bite-sized portion snacks.
Wal-Mart is attempting to profit early on expected rush, and reportedly started stocking select stores with Twinkies on Friday, and all of its other U.S. stores will be selling the treats on Sunday.
Twinkies won't just be hitting store shelves. The snack company's marketing team is proposing to sell the cake treats at sports stadiums, with continental breakfasts at hotels, at movie theater concession stands and on cruise ships, according to the LA Times.
"We want to capitalize on the nostalgia of the brand, but we also want to make sure we're relevant to this generation and not just the generations of the past," Hostess President Rich Seban told the LA Times.
Hostess filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, and upon a judge's permission to close, the company sold parts of its brand to the highest bidders.
However, Hostess' has moved past the bankruptcy, and took the opportunity to reinvent their brand while still remaining true to its 83-year history,
"Having been around a long time is not the most powerful selling proposition unless you're Champagne," Allen Adamson, managing director of brand consultancy Landor Associates' New York office, told the LA Times. "Making the most of their one moment in the sun, before they disappear into the sea of brands competing for people's attention, is key."
Hostess did not change the price of their snack cakes; a box of 10 Twinkies will cost $3.99.
Other Hostess sweet treats will be returning to shelves on Monday, like CupCakes, Ding Dongs, and Donettes. The cakes will have the same great taste but display a new tagline: "The Sweetest Comeback In The History Of Ever."
