Hostess Brands, Inc.

Snack company Hostess Brands, Inc. announced in 2022 its plans to open a state-of-the-art bakery in Clark County, Arkansas. The new location is expected to be operational in the second half of 2023 and bring approximately 150 new jobs to the community over the next three years. Hostess Brands, whose iconic foods include Donettes, Twinkies, CupCakes and Ding Dongs, plans to invest $120 million to $140 million to transform a 330,000-square-foot facility in Arkadelphia into a next-generation bakery.

Chief Growth Officer Dan O’Leary said the company considered three key issues before deciding on Arkadelphia: distribution network, an existing facility that could be converted and a strong labor pool. “We were also able to build a strong partnership with the state, county and local officials.”

Year Established in Metro Little Rock: 2023

Number of Employees in Metro Little Rock: 150 (by 2026)

Number of Employees Worldwide: 2,000