1925: Hostess brand is founded when Continental Baking Co. buys Taggart bakery, which makes Wonder Bread
1930: Interstate Baking Co., which later buys Continental Baking Co., is founded in Kansas City, Mo.
1930: Twinkies sponge cakes are invented by James Dewar as a way to make an inexpensive product during the Depression
1947: Hostess introduces Sno Balls cakes.
1960s & 1970s: Interstate expands by acquiring other competitors including Supreme Baking Co., Kingston Cake Bakery, Schall Tasty Baking Co. and several others
1967: Hostess introduces Ding Dongs and Ho Hos snack cakes.
1979: The "Twinkie defense" — the name for an unlikely legal defense — is coined when Dan White goes on trial for the murders of San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk. His defense is that consumption of Twinkies and other sugary snacks was a symptom of depression that led to the murder.
1995: Interstate Bakeries Corp., formerly called Interstate Baking Co., acquires Continental Baking company for $330 million
2004: Interstate Bakeries files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
2008: Twinkies are repackaged into a 100-calorie "Twinkie Bites" snack pack in a bid to appear more health conscious
2009: Interstate Bakeries emerges from bankruptcy protection and changes its name to Hostess Brands
2010: Lady Gaga features Wonder Bread in her "Telephone" video.
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