Timeline: The history of Hostess Brands

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.