Monthly Archives: March 2013
This Summer Will Be Golden
“Our family is thrilled to have the opportunity to reestablish these iconic brands with new creative marketing ideas and renewed sales efforts and investment”
With these words from Dean Metropoulos, who is the founder of the private equity firm Metropoulos & Co, the dreams of children and adults everywhere are preparing to return to their regular orbits with the summer return of…
Two private equity firms, Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management, together successfully offered a bid in the amount of $410 million, according to Chris Isidore’s online article, “Twinkies due on shelves by summer as $410 million bid OK’d” on CNN Money today.
As for the renaissance of everyone’s favorite golden-colored, creme filled snack, it appears to be in safe and fully capable hands.
“Metropoulos has experience turning around financially troubled food brands. The firm’s food holdings include Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, and in the past have included Chef Boyardee canned pasta, Bumble Bee seafood, PAM cooking spray and Gulden’s Mustard, all of which it eventually sold to ConAgra Foods Inc.”
Late last year, when Hostess ceased production, the once-full shelves were left barren with sadness and disbelief. The delicious treats were gone. Forever. Faith in the world we all knew took a terrible stumble, leaving millions to ponder what the new snack companies had in store for us? Could they even compare to the Twinkie or the entire Hostess family for that matter?
Luckily, that new “world order” will not transpire. There is substantial uncertainty in our country, and around the globe, but at least we can still count on one of the best plastic wrapped snacks of all-time to return to its golden glory.
Greek yogurt. Greek street food. John Stamos. I suppose it’s not all that surprising a Greek business star would be the one at the top of the current food curve to rescue the beloved Twinkie.
As Twinkie the Kid might say, “Go ahead, make me again!”
The Art of Compromise
Donald Trump offers to get the American public inside the White House for tours during the next several months while the person who sits at the head of the table is President Barack Obama. What?
A recent Newt Gingrich tweet read, “Donald trump should offer to pay for the white house tours. He can afford it and it would show who cares more for American students.”
CNN reported that while taking part in an interview over the phone with Fox & Friends, “The Donald” responded to the tweet with, “I think it’s so nice of Newt to suggest that.” He added, “But it sounds reasonable to me. Why not?”
Donald Trump, who repeatedly criticizes the president, is willing to write checks for $74,000/week, or $2 million for the necessary seven months (according to the U.S. Secret Service), to the United States government. The federal government is run by the same President Obama who, in response to enduring Trump’s constant critiques, made direct and equally cheeky retorts to the aforementioned billionaire business mogul at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2011. This seemingly bizarre offer would mean that the American people could again visit and regularly take tours of the White House currently occupied by a man Trump politically opposes in Mr. Obama.
As a famous Ohioan once said, “Only in America!”
Despite any preconceived notions people may have towards Mr. Trump, they do have to applaud his offer. He is willing to spend his own money earned in the private sector to fund the over-spent and temper tantrum throwing public sector for the good of the country. It is strange though how he puts his name over everything since he wasn’t the one who actually built his company over all these years…the nerve right!
“It’s certainly not a lot of money. The big thing is that the country is going to lose a trillion dollars this year,” he said. “Closing the White House tours is not exactly the biggest thing on the agenda.”
Picture Donald Trump funding the White House tours and for his second act sets-up signs, posters and advertisements of all shapes and sizes around the entire perimeter of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue promoting, “White House Tours, courtesy of Donald Trump.” There would be gold for as far as the eye can see with John Rich, Omarosa and Bret Michaels handing out Trump gift bags while happily mingling with the visitors.
It would be “terrific!” (It could even become the season finale of the next Celebrity Apprentice…ratings-ratings-ratings!)
Trump, who has built an empire synonymous with opulence, extravagance and the color gold, would give back to the American public on vacation in our nation’s capital and countless 8th graders on their annual class trips the joy of experiencing “the people’s house.”
Actually, this would provide America’s students with a great lesson combining political science with physics: one political stunt will generate an equal and opposite political stunt.
Forget dinners, this would get President Obama to sincerely negotiate with the Republicans. Americans would win with paid-for White House tours and the president would finally witness firsthand the power and positive influence of the private sector.
Donald Trump for the win.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 