You want a conspiracy theory? OK, here's one:

[WilliamPitt]

Hostess floated false rumors about closing down to inspire a mad rush on their product at stores all across the country.

Soon, they'll announce a "deal" that saves the company and all those jobs...and laugh all the way to the bank when their massive quarterly earnings increase comes in.

Call it a re-interpretation of the "New Coke" trick.

Mwah ha ha ha ha, prove me wrong, ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Hostess Shutdown on Hold; Deal Sought Between Union and Management
http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/19/news/companies/hostess-bankruptcy-bonuses/index.html?iid=Popular

[randome]

1. Look, if you had an anonymous email from some bakery in Sweden, then I'd believe you.

Otherwise, you're just...oh, I see.

[former9thward]

2. So the Teamsters Union is part of this conspiracy?

They examined the books and took the concession contract. I guess they are part of it too.

[WilliamPitt]

3. This one goes all the way to the top.

Did you hear about this: http://www.npr.org/2012/11/20/165513016/big-news-from-mars-rover-scientists-mum-for-now

Just a coincidence. Yeah, right.

[dipsydoodle]

4. May have found

Jimmy Hoffa's body.

[trueblue2007]

9. what is it

[stopbush]

5. Hostess is still a billion dollars in debt.

I don't think there's enough Twinkies in the world to paper over that deficit. They're headed to bankruptcy court, sooner rather than later.

BTW - I wonder if the holidays are a slow time for sales of Hostess products, what with many families baking cookies and pies for the better part of 6 weeks.

[randome]

6. Just raise the price of Twinkies to about twenty dollars. Problem solved.

Better yet, just advertise them as Bluetooth-compatible.

[LeftinOH]

7. "Who benefited? Who has the power to cover it up? Who?"

This is a mystery, wrapped in a riddle.. with a cream filling and chocolate sprinkles

[HopeHoops]

8. Evil laughter aside, I don't think that's it. They were just stuck in a mud pit.

They fucked up with ridiculous offshoot products and didn't give enough attention to the core market. They fucked up. The best they can hope for now is to sell off the rights to the brand names. That's it. I really doubt anyone will bid on "Wonder Bread".