Twinkie plant closure to affect 400 jobs in Ill.

Hostess Brands said Wednesday it will close its Schiller Park bakery in Illinois, where Twinkies and other iconic sweets have been produced for 84 years, affecting about 400 employees.

One of only four remaining Hostess bakeries in the country, the plant is expected to close Oct. 19, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Hostess re-opened the Illinois facility in July of last year following the snack brands’ $410 million purchase by private equity firms Apollo Global Management and C. Dean Metropoulos & Co. The famous line of treats was bought out of bankruptcy following the old Hostess' bitter dispute with its main employee union.

While Twinkies and other Hostess treats were off shelves for eight months, a number of competitors brought knock-offs to market. That appears to be hurting sales now, according to the Tribune.

Read more the Chicago Tribune.