MEDIA

Twinkies^® Prepare for 75th Birthday With Kids Box Design Contest: $75,000 in College Scholarships to be Awarded

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 5, 2004) – On April 6, 2004, Hostess ^® Twinkies ^® celebrates its 74 th Birthday, but party plans are already underway for the famous snack cake’s 75th birthday next year. Starting April 1, children 6-11 can join the celebration by entering the first-ever Twinkies box design contest entitled “Twinkies Celebrates 75 Years of Fun”.

Entries will be judged based on appropriateness of drawing to the theme; originality and creativity; and fun and appeal. Interstate Brands Corporation, the baker of Hostess snack cakes, requires that box design submissions be hand-made, using colored pencils, crayons, markers or paints. Ten finalists will be awarded college scholarships ranging from $40,000 to $1,000, a Giant^® brand bike and a Twinkies prize pack. In addition, the Grand Prize winner’s design will be featured on the front of a special Twinkies 75 th birthday box sold nationwide in April 2005.

“Hostess is excited to have kids be so involved in Twinkies 75 th birthday celebration,” said Mike Redd, vice president of cake marketing. “The imagination of kids is so special and we’re confident there will be lots of fun and creative box designs.”

Beginning April 1, 2004, interested participants can find contest entry forms and official rules inside specially-marked Twinkies boxes or by visiting Planet Twinkie at www.twinkies.com. Entries must be postmarked by May 21, 2004. The designs of the top 10 finalists will be placed on Planet Twinkie in August 2004, where America will vote for the winner. Winners will be announced April 6, 2005.

Interstate Bakeries Corporation, through its operating subsidiaries, Interstate Brands Corporation and Interstate Brands West Corporation, is the nation’s largest baker and distributor of fresh baked bread and sweet goods in the United States with 57 bread and cake bakeries located in strategic markets from coast-to-coast. The Company is headquartered in Kansas City, Mo. For more information, visit Planet Twinkie, at www.twinkies.com .

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