Baking&Snack - April 2017 - 18

Hostess chairman foresees continued growth
After four years of rapid growth in the snack cake business, Hostess
Brands, Inc. expects up to four more years of growth in excess of
the category average, the company's executive chairman said.
In a presentation, C. Dean Metropoulos, executive chairman, reflected on the Hostess acquisition and prospects for
growth longer term. He spoke at the Consumer Analyst Group of
New York.
Having been involved in 82 different acquisitions during his
career, Mr. Metropoulos identified elements of the 2013 Hostess
acquisition that were easier than others and other elements that
could hardly have been more difficult.
He noted his history with Hostess dates back to the 1990s
when Hostess (Continental Baking Co. at the time) was owned by
Ralston Purina Co. Intangibles have made acquiring and owning
Hostess distinct, he said.
"This acquisition had such an emotional connection with the
consumer," he said. "I've never experienced anything like this. It
made our jobs easier."
Mr. Metropoulous added that the space has a lot of growth poten-

tial. "We're putting a lot of products into the
category," he said.
William Toler, president
and CEO of Hostess,
identified sweet good
category opportunities
for growth.
The company currently has the leading
market share in the largest sweet goods segments, including 32% share in snack cakes and 23% in donuts. The two
products account for about half of sweet good sales.
In other product categories, though, the company has more
modest share, including 11% in brownies, 10% in muffins and 9%
in pies. Additionally, the company has a very small share of the
cookies market.
Citing data from IRI, Mr. Toler said Hostess accounted for 100%
of the growth in the snack cake category over the past year.
- Josh Sosland, Food Business News

Bill Zimmerman Sr. honored by ASB
The American Society of Baking (ASB) gave its Robert A. Fischer
distinguished service award to Bill Zimmerman Sr. at BakingTech
2017, the association's annual conference held recently in Chicago .
Mr. Zimmerman, a fourth-generation baker and baking industry consultant, is a current member of ASB's Baking Hall of
Fame Committee and Advisory Committee. He served as program
committee chairman and in 2007 as society chairman, only the
second person in the group's history to hold both chairmanships.
He also served on the society's executive board and the Z50 Safety
Committee as well as a BakingTech session chair.
In 2016, he retired from The Long Co., Chicago, having previously held positions with Franz Family Bakeries, Portland, and a
number of other baking and allied ingredient supply companies.
He continues to consult from his home base at Gresham, OR.
This award is given each year to an individual who has assisted in the advancement of both the baking industry and ASB.
Mr. Zimmerman's announcement was made by the award's
2016 recipient, Jim Diver, who recently retired from Dunbar
Systems, Lemont, IL.

Celebrating this year's Robert A. Fischer Award are (from left) Rob Zimmerman, Bill
Zimmerman Sr., Bill Zimmerman Jr. and Jim Diver.
Mr. Diver, a long-time friend of Mr. Zimmerman, described him
as "born to be a baker."
Mr. Zimmerman is the father of ASB's incoming chairman, Bill
Zimmerman Jr. of Northwest Baking Co., Sumner, WA.

Rademaker promotes new president

Riggle

Eric Riggle has been promoted to president
of Rademaker USA, Hudson, OH. Mr. Riggle
originally joined the sales department of the
company in 1999. He left in 2003 to become
president of Dunbar Systems, Lemont, IL,
returning to Rademaker as vice-president
in 2006.
"When Eric was hired, it always was with the

18 Baking & Snack April 2017 / www.bakingandsnack.com

intention that eventually he would take over the position of president," said Gerard Muermans, commercial director. "Eric has been
groomed and trained over the years, and now the time has come
to take the step."
Mr. Riggle succeeds Ron Gates, who will step into a technical
liaison role with parent company Rademaker BV, Culemborg, The
Netherlands. In this role, he will give input not only to US projects
but also to international ones.

http://www.bakingandsnack.com

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