Hostess is closing its 33 plants, laying off its 18,500 workers and putting its snack brands up for sale. The 82-year-old company, based in Irving, Texas, said a nationwide worker strike involving 5,000 employees crippled its ability to make and deliver products, which include Ding Dongs, Ho Ho’s, Dolly Madison and Drake’s cakes. Hostess made the decision to shut down Friday morning, after failing to reach an agreement with striking workers. The strikes began after Hostess imposed a contract cutting workers’ wages by 8 percent. The union said the contract also cut benefits by 27 percent to 32 percent. The company, which filed for bankruptcy in January for the second time since 2004, said it had filed a motion with U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in White Plains, New York, for permission to shut down and sell assets. Hostess had warned employees that it would file a motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to unwind its business and sell assets if plant operations didn’t return to normal levels by Thursday evening.

  With the Hostess brand going out of business on November 16, 2012, a lot of people are very disappointed with Twinkies no longer being available for their daily consumption from the grocery shelves.

  Hours after Twinkie-maker Hostess announced its plans to close its doors forever, people flocked to stores to fill their shopping baskets with boxes of the cream-filled sponge cakes and their sibling snacks. Hostess brand is shipping out their last shipment of Twinkies on Friday, and these are flying off the shelves at a rapid fast rate. Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies don’t last forever.

  Most Twinkies bought in stores Friday carry an expiration date of early December. The snack will be available for purchase on websites such as EBay or Craigslist. But, be warned, these two companies have begun selling Twinkies for big prices. They began marketing their hoard to whimsical collectors and junk-food lovers for hundreds and some cases, thousands of dollars.

  That is a fat profit margin, when considering that the retail price of a box of Twinkies is $5.00.

  Although Hostess is shutting down, it’s still possible that Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos could make a comeback. Hostess is planning to sell its brands and other assets at an auction to be overseen by a U.S. bankruptcy judge in New York. According to Erin Lash analyst from the“Morning Star,” brands like Kellogg, Kraft and Campbell are competing to purchase the dying brand. Anyone trying to make a quick buck off the product should act fast. Contrary to popular belief, most of the Twinkies on the shelves will expire before the new year.