Beloved retail products occasionally disappear from the market after a company files for bankruptcy.
One of the most notable brands to disappear, at least temporarily, was Hostess Brands' products after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012. The company that makes Wonder Bread, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Ho's and fruit pies had filed Chapter 11 a first time in 2004, when it was owned by Interstate Bakeries, and re-emerged as Hostess Brands in 2009.
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The company struggled to make payments on a $700 million loan, as well as union pension payments, and filed bankruptcy a second time in 2012 when owned by private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings.
Hostess stopped making its snack cakes in 2012 after filing its petition, but by July 2013, it resumed baking and selling its products again under new ownership. About 10 years later, publicly traded Hostess Brands was acquired by J.M. Smucker for $5.6 billion in a deal that closed in November 2023.
In some other cases, however, retail products don't disappear after a company files bankruptcy.
Hudson River Foods
Hudson River Foods files Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize
Popular organic food and drink manufacturer Hudson River Foods on July 9 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York to reorganize its business.
Related: Distressed pizza chain plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The Castleton-on-the-Hudson, N.Y., debtor listed $1 million to $10 million in assets and liabilities in its petition. The debtor indicated in the petition that funds will be available to pay unsecured creditors. The company did not indicate a reason for filing, and did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Hudson River Foods manufactures and distributes healthy baking products, plant-based drink mixes and other food products through its six retail brands: Cherrybrook Kitchen, European Gourmet Bakery, Hodgson Mill, Dancing Deer Baking Co., Healthy To Go, and Tempt Hemp.
More bankruptcy:
- Another coffee and cafe company files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- Distressed home improvement retailer plans Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- Popular retailer closing all stores after Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The private healthy food company makes popular and unique foods with organic, non-GMO, kosher, vegan, allergen free and superfood options. Cherrybrook Kitchen offers gluten-free and traditional cake, brownie and cookie mixes. European Gourmet Bakery sells organic cake, icing, muffin, brownie, cookie, German streusel, and pudding mixes. Hodgson Mill markets gluten-free pancake and waffle, yellow cornbread, chocolate cake and brownie mixes.
Dancing Deer Baking Co. sells a variety of cookies and brownies and gift boxes and baskets for special occasions. Products are kosher, and gluten-free products are available. Hudson River Foods also markets various hemp food and beverage products through its Tempt Hemp Products line, and a variety of beverage mixes through its Healthy To Go brand.
Hudson River Foods products are sold nationwide through 11 grocers, including Publix, Kroger (KR) , Amazon's (AMZN) Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) , HyVee, Stop & Shop, Central Market, Natural Grocers, Raley's and Mother's Market & Kitchen.
Originally known as Healthy Brands Collective, the company changed its name in 2017 to Hudson River Foods after it moved its headquarters and manufacturing plant to Castleton, just south of Albany, N.Y. The 100,000 square foot state of the art manufacturing plant replaced an older, outdated and polluting manufacturing plant with an environmentally conscious natural and organic foods plant, the company's website said.
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