Hostess Brands Inc., the makers of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, says it's going out of business, leading some Americans to stock up on the sweet processed treats in case they disappear from shelves.
The stunning announcement is the result of a bankruptcy and labor dispute, the Associated Press reports. More than 18,000 jobs would be cut.
According to WCPO, some grocery stores are now getting calls from buyers asking if they still have Twinkies on their shelves, as some consumers who grew up with the brand prepare to stock up on treats including Ho Ho's and the Hostess Fruit Pie, among many others.
The Texas-based company wants to hold a liquidation hearing on Monday, The Star-Ledger reports. However, already baked products will be delivered to stores, so there's still a few more days to hoard the cakes.
As Twitter and Facebook mourned the possible passing of the classic treats, 7-Eleven stores in Chicago observed shoppers buying the cakes in the early morning hours.
A worker at the 7-Eleven on Halsted in University Village said she only had one person buy a Twinkie this morning -- because the store is already sold out, 89 WLS reports.
Plenty of Twitter users took to the social networking site to mourn the news and share plans to stock up on Hostess products. View some of the tweets in the slideshow below.