A cloud has lifted over America. Twinkies returned to store shelves on Monday.
The iconic cream-filled sponge cake disappeared from the market after its maker, Hostess, went bankrupt eight months ago, having failed to reach a deal on a new contract with its striking bakers. Two investment firms — Apollo Global Management and C. Dean Metropoulos and Company — swooped down to purchase the company's cake division (which includes Ho Hos and Ding Dongs) and launch a comeback.
Here's a look at the disappearance and return of Twinkies, by the numbers:
$410 million
Price Apollo and Metropoulos paid for the Hostess cake division.
45
Shelf life, in days, of the new incarnation of cellophane Twinkies.
26
Shelf life, in days, of the old Twinkies.
110,000
Convenience stores where Twinkies fanatics will be able to get their fix.
50,000
Convenience stores that sold Twinkies before Hostess went bankrupt.
135
Calories in the new Twinkies, per cake, according to the box.
150
Calories in the old version, according to The Associated Press.
38.5 grams
Weight of the new cakes.
42.5 grams
Weight of the old ones. A spokeswoman for Hostess, Hannah Arnold, says the size change was actually made last year in a bid to keep the company afloat.
$3.99
Price for a box of 10 of the new Twinkies.
$3.99
Price that a box of the old Twinkies sold for.
18,500
Employees, including 6,600 members of the bakers' union, Hostess had making and distributing Twinkies, Wonder Bread, and other products when it went bankrupt in November 2012.
20 to 25
Percentage of those jobs expected to be returning under the new company. Natalie Everett, a bread and snack industry analyst with IBISWorld, tells CNN that the reduction is expected because companies that resurrect fallen brands typically invest in equipment and machinery to replace workers. Another reason for the reduction is that the new owners only bought part of the old company.
$360 million
Price Flowers Foods agreed to pay for another major part of Hostess, the division that makes Wonder Bread and other bread brands.
2,000
Percent increase in Twinkies sales on Amazon over 24 hours in November after news of Hostess' bankruptcy broke.
$5,000
Top asking price U.S. News & World Report spotted on eBay — for a single Twinkie. "This is your opportunity to own a piece of history, a delicious piece at that," the seller wrote.
Sources: CNN Money, TIME, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report (2)
