Unbattered Hostess plans deep-fried Twinkie

NEW YORK — The deep-fried Twinkie is jumping from the state fair to the home freezer.

Hostess Brands, the maker of lunchbox treats like Ho Hos, is launching packaged “Deep Fried Twinkies,” which mark its first foray into frozen foods. The cream-filled snack in vanilla or chocolate is the result of a yearlong collaboration between Hostess and WalMart, as both companies look to spark food sales with innovative products.

Battered and partially fried before being frozen, the Twinkies need to be finished for a short time in the oven, toaster oven or frying pan.

The Twinkie, long one of Hostess’ largest sellers, is a bigger business now than even right before the company filed for bankruptcy in 2012, said Ellen Copaken, Hostess’ vice president of marketing. Executives had considered developing a deep-fried version, like those seen at local fairs, but put the plans on hold until Wal-Mart approached them last summer.

For Wal-Mart, the partnership is part of a strategy of working with suppliers to come up with new twists on existing foods or developing new ones, and getting them to the shelves faster.

At 9 grams of fat and 220 calories, the vanilla flavor of the Deep Fried Twinkies compares to 4 grams of fat and 130 calories in a regular Twinkie.

One expert says Americans like a sugar fix, typically at the end of the day.

“We are trying to cut down on foods that are higher in sugar content,” said Darren Seifer, a food industry analyst at market research firm NPD Group Inc. “But there is still room for indulgence.”

Twinkies have been around since 1930, but the company’s financial woes had put their future in doubt. Hostess products came back after the company was bought in 2013 for $410 million.