LENEXA, KS — Hostess Brands, the bakery titan behind Donettes, Twinkies, Ding Dongs and more, will convert an idle factory in Arkadelphia, AR, into a functioning state-of-the-art bakery. It is expected to be operational in the second half of 2023 and will bring about 150 new jobs to the community over the next three years.
The company plans to invest $120 million to $140 million to transform the 330,000-sq.-ft. facility into a modern bakery. The new facility will increase the company’s capacity across its bakeries on its Donettes and cake platforms by approximately 20%.
“We’ve been profitably gaining market share across the snacking categories in which we compete,” said Andy Callahan, president and CEO of Hostess Brands. “The addition of this new bakery signals our confidence that we expect the growth we have demonstrated over the last several years to continue.”
The decision to renovate the existing building will reduce the company’s costs for a brand-new bakery as well as make a minimal environmental impact falling in line with a commitment to sustainability.
“We are emphasizing a sustainability-first approach to this project while leveraging best practices from across our network of bakeries, and we anticipate this bakery will be our most efficient and greenest operation yet,” Callahan said. “We are grateful for the help and support that we received from the city of Arkadelphia and the Arkadelphia Alliance, Clark County, the state of Arkansas and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and the partnerships we have entered into with these entities. We look forward to welcoming new team members to our newest bakery when it becomes operational in 2023 and to becoming a part of the Arkadelphia community.”
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he was ecstatic to welcome the brand to the state.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Hostess to the Arkansas family of businesses,” he said. “Arkansans of all ages have enjoyed Hostess products for more than a century, so it is no wonder they are now a leading snack company. The company’s selection of Clark County speaks volumes about the confidence they have in the area’s business climate and workforce, and I am confident Hostess will find success in Arkansas.”
