Insider Q&A: Hostess Brands CEO Andy Callahan

By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Business Writer

Hostess Brands President and CEO Andy Callahan knows that his company __ the maker of Twinkies, HoHos and other snack cakes __ is sometimes the butt of jokes. Callahan says a steady stream of new products, like candy bar-inspired Kazbars and miniature Baby Bundt cakes, have been key to winning over skeptics and leading them back to old favorites. Founded in 1925, Hostess almost didn’t make it into the new millennium. The company filed for bankruptcy twice before private equity investors formed Hostess Brands in 2013. Callahan discussed the challenge of leading a brand with a history with The Associated Press.