Merita Breads

The company gave as their reason for this action that they had been crippled by a strike by BCTGM, the bakers' union.

[1] Union spokespersons attributed the company's situation to poor management over a long period of years.

[3] William Fisch and Herman Malchow, who for three years had been operating a lunchroom in Birmingham, Alabama, established the Highland Bakery, which began producing breads in 1901.

Starting with a single horse-and-wagon route and one retail bakeshop, the business grew and flourished.

After the closure and liquidation of Hostess Brands in late 2012, Merita was sold to Flowers Foods for $390 million, in a deal that also included other Hostess bread brands such as Wonder Bread, Nature's Pride, Home Pride and Butternut.