Flowers Foods Receives Regulatory Approval Hostess Brands Acquisition

10 July 2013 --- Flowers Foods, Inc. has received regulatory approval pursuant to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act to acquire the Wonder, Nature's Pride, Merita, Home Pride, and Butternut bread brands; 20 bakeries; and 36 depots from Old HB, Inc., formerly known as Hostess Brands.

Flowers expects to complete the transaction in the coming weeks.

In February 2013, the company announced its agreement to purchase the assets from Old HB, Inc. for $360 million was declared the best and highest bid for such assets. In March 2013, the court overseeing the Old HB, Inc. bankruptcy proceeding approved the sale.

Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods, Inc. is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods for retail and foodservice customers in the United States with 2012 sales of $3.05 billion. Flowers operates 44 bakeries that produce a wide range of bakery products. Among the company's top brands are Nature's Own and Tastykake.