Wal-Mart, Kroger said to be among 2 dozen bidders for Hostess Brands, source tells

Wal-Mart, Kroger said to be among 2 dozen bidders for Hostess Brands, source tells

Wal-Mart (WMT) Stores Inc. and Kroger Co. (KR) are among the bidders for assets being sold by Hostess Brands Inc., the bankrupt maker of Wonder bread and Twinkies, said a person familiar with the matter.

There are about two dozen bidders, said the person, who asked not to be named because the process is confidential. Last month, financial adviser Joshua Scherer of Perella Weinberg Partners LP said the liquidation sale may generate about $1 billion.

A few of the bids are for all the assets, some are for just the cakes or breads businesses, and others are interested in individual Hostess plants, said the person.

Perella’s Scherer declined to comment, citing the confidential bidding process, as did Hostess Chief Executive Officer Greg Rayburn. Keith Dailey, a spokesman at grocery chain Kroger, declined to comment. David Tovar, a spokesman for Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart, also declined to comment.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-13/hostess-said-to-attract-bids-from-wal-mart-kroger.html