Flowers Foods, headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, is a producer and marketer of packaged bakery foods in the United States. The company operates 46 bakeries that produce breads, buns, rolls, snack cakes, pastries, and tortillas. The company's products are sold regionally through a direct store delivery network that encompasses the East, South, and Southwest, and are sold nationwide via delivery to retailers' warehouses.
Flowers Foods has two operating segments. The Direct Store Delivery (DSD) Segment handles fresh breads, buns, rolls, and snack cakes that are sold regionally through a network of independent distributors. The company is continually expanding its market reach through acquisitions and by stretching its current territory. Flowers' Warehouse Segment is responsible for the national distribution of frozen snack cakes and breads and rolls that are sold direct to customers' warehouses. Flowers' Mrs. Freshley's brand of snack cakes is available nationally to retail and vending customers through this segment, as is the European Bakers' brand of frozen specialty breads and rolls, which is available nationally to retail in-store bakeries and foodservice customers.
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History
In 1919, brothers William Howard and Joseph Hampton Flowers opened Flowers Baking Company in Thomasville, Georgia. In 1944, Flowers became the 6th bakery in the U.S. to franchise Quality Bakers of America's Sunbeam brand and Little Miss Sunbeam for its white bread.
In 1968, the company became Flowers Industries, and began trading over-the-counter. Less than a year later, Flowers was listed on the American Stock Exchange. In 1982, the company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FLO.
In the mid-1990s, Flowers acquired the Keebler Company and Mrs. Smith's Pies. In 2001, Flowers sold its investment in Keebler to the Kellogg Company and delivered $1.24 billion to its shareholders. Flowers' remaining business units, Flowers Bakeries and Mrs. Smith's Bakeries, were then spun off into a new company called Flowers Foods. In 2003, Flowers Foods sold its Mrs. Smith's frozen dessert business to the Schwan Food Company.
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21st century acquisitions
On October 25, 2002, Flowers bought out Ideal Baking Company including one bakery in Batesville, AR. Ideal serves north Arkansas, southern Missouri, and the Memphis, TN market.
In December 2002, Flowers Foods bought Bishop Baking Company from Kelloggs Company. The sale includes the bakery in Cleveland, TN.
On September 21, 2005, Flowers Foods closed on the purchase of Royal Cake Company for $10 Million (USD). Flowers will continue to operate the Winston-Salem, NC bakery.
In 2008, Flowers acquired ButterKrust Bakery in Lakeland, Florida, and acquired Holsum Bakery in Phoenix.
In 2009, Flowers Foods purchased Leo's Foods.
In 2011, Tastykake was acquired.
In 2012, Sara Lee and Earthgrains in California and Earthgrains in Oklahoma City were bought from Bimbo Bakeries.
In 2013, Flowers Foods entered into an agreement to purchase most of the bread brands of Hostess Brands, including Wonder Bread.
In 2015, Flowers Foods purchased Dave's Killer Bread of Milwaukie, Oregon for $275 million in cash.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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