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Resurrected Twinkies Are Smaller Than Before

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- On Monday, Jason DeRusha paid a viewer $20 for a box of the new edition Twinkies from Hostess. This morning, he may be wishing he had a couple bucks back.

Those tasty little sponge cakes are back, but they aren't the same. They're actually smaller than you remember.

If you look at the back of the box, the resurrected Twinkies are 135 calories per cake. Right before Hostess went out of business back in November, Twinkies were 150 calories per cake.

Whereas the old cakes were 42.5 grams per serving, the new ones are 38.5 grams.

A spokesperson for Hostess has confirmed the size change, but added that the new edition Twinkies have a longer shelf life. They're good for 45 days, up from 26 days.

For retailers who request it, the company also said it's freezing Twinkies so stores can stamp their own expiration dates on them.

The treats have been off shelves for almost eight months, since the predecessor company shut down its plants and said it was going out of business.

Twinkies and other snack cakes were purchased by private equity firms Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. after Hostess Brands said it was closing down.

The predecessor company had failed to reach a contract agreement with The Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, its second largest union, which noted that its members had already taken pay cuts to keep Hostess afloat.

The new owners, which are known for fixing up struggling brands, are not using unionized workers. That means their labor costs are lower than they were for the previous owners.

The bakers union has encouraged the new owners to change their approach and work with its members. It notes that the experience of its members offers "the best chance for long-term success in consistently putting out a quality product."

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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