Company: Hostess

Website:  www.hostesscakes.com

Date Introduced: December 2016

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $5.29

Product Snapshot: On the heels of the success of Hostess’ frozen Deep-Fried Twinkies last summer, the snack cake company is expanding its frozen food aisle offerings yet again with the addition of a classic Twinkie flavor: banana. Deep-Fried Banana Twinkies feature a banana crème-filled Twinkie and graham cracker breading, and are available in grocery stores and other mass retailers nationwide.

Both Classic and Banana flavors of the pre-packed deep-fried Twinkies – found in the freezer aisle – are battered and flash fried before they’re frozen, and can be heated up in a toaster oven or regular oven in just minutes. Where the Classic flavor is dipped in funnel cake batter, the Deep-Fried Banana Twinkies have a distinctive graham cracker breading for added texture. Each package comes with 7 delicious snack cakes.

“The addition of Deep-Fried Banana Twinkies is a nod to Twinkies’ original flavor: Banana Crème,” said Burke Raine, Chief Marketing Officer of Hostess Brands, LLC. “Taking Twinkie back to its roots integrates nicely with our deep-fried line, which was originally inspired by the nostalgia of State Fairs and local summer carnivals.”

The product launch is part of Hostess’s continued innovation efforts to extend its offerings into the frozen food aisle, as well as other parts of the store, as a growth strategy.

Hostess's retail customers have embraced both Original and Banana Deep-Fried Twinkies with excitement, adding the items to their frozen sections even before the typical shelf resets occur.