Ding Dong: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Small chocolate cake of hockey puck size}} |
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:''For the animated cat character Ding Dong, see [[Doraemon]]. "Ding dong" is also a euphemism for [[penis]] in some areas.'' |
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{{Other uses}} |
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{{More citations needed|date=February 2021}} |
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[[Image:Ding dongs.jpg|thumb|A Hostess Ding Dong]] A '''Ding Dong''' is a [[chocolate cake]] produced and distributed in the United States by [[Hostess Brands]] and in Canada from [[Vachon Inc.]] under the name '''King Dons'''; in some U.S. markets, it was previously known as '''Big Wheels'''. With the exception of a brief period in 2013, the Ding Dong has been produced continuously since 1967. It is round with a flat top and bottom, close to three inches in diameter and slightly taller than an inch, similar in shape and size to a [[hockey puck]]. A white creamy filling is injected into the center and a thin coating of chocolate glaze covers the cake. The Ding Dong was originally wrapped in a square of thin [[aluminum foil]], enabling it to be carried in lunches without melting the chocolate glaze. |
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==History and naming== |
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A '''Ding Dong''' is a [[snack cake]] sold in the United States under the [[Hostess]] brand name, which is owned by [[Interstate Bakeries Corporation]]. The snack was originally known in the Eastern United States as a '''King Don''', and in other areas as '''Big Wheels'''. |
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The Ding Dong is similar to other cream-filled cakes such as [[Vachon Inc.|Arcade Vachon's]] [[Jos. Louis]] introduced before 1934.<ref name="vachon">{{Cite web |url=http://www.vachon.com/fr/patisserie/jos-louis/ |title=Vachon Jos. Louis product page |access-date=2013-02-06 |archive-date=2019-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301074448/http://www.vachon.com/fr/patisserie/jos-louis/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hostess began marketing its Ding Dong in 1967. The name was given to coincide with a television ad campaign featuring a ringing [[bell (instrument)|bell]]. |
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Hostess went out of business on November 16, 2012, stopping all production. The Hostess name and brands were acquired by [[private equity firms]] [[Apollo Global Management]] and [[Metropoulos & Co.]]; in June 2013, the new Hostess Brands reopened a Kansas product plant and announced that Ding Dong production would resume on July 15, 2013. [[The J.M. Smucker Company]] then acquired Hostess in September 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/jm-smucker-nears-deal-buy-twinkies-owner-hostess-brands-wsj-2023-09-11/|title=J.M. Smucker to buy Twinkies maker Hostess Brands in $5.6 billion deal|date=September 11, 2023}}</ref> |
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The chocolate [[cake]] is round with a flat top and bottom, similar to a [[hockey puck]], and is about three inches in diameter and a little more than an inch high. A white cream filling is injected into the center, and a thin coating of chocolate glaze covers the entire cake. The cake is wrapped in a square of thin tin foil, enabling it to be carried and packed in lunches without melting the chocolate glaze. |
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==Ring Ding{{spnd}}Ding Dong conflict== |
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The Ding Dong was first marketed by Hostess in 1967; the name was given to coincide with a television ad campaign featuring a ringing [[bell]]. The company marketed it on the East Coast as a "King Don" snack cake, to avoid confusion with the [[Ring Ding]], a similar (and pre-existing) snack by [[Drake's Cakes]]. Hostess consolidated the names in 1987, then decided to split them again when another competing name came to light. Since then the King Don name has been eliminated, and the snack is now sold all over America as the Ding Dong. |
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[[File:Drakes-Ring-Dings.jpg|thumb|A Drake's Ring Ding]] |
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The company marketed the snacks on the East Coast as Big Wheels, to avoid confusion with Ring Dings, a similar and pre-existing treat by [[Drake's Cakes]]. The names were consolidated in 1987, when a short-lived merger of Drake's with Hostess's parent company (then Continental Baking Company) briefly resolved the Ring Ding{{spnd}}Ding Dong conflict. When the merged company broke up, however, Hostess was once again forced to cease using the Ding Dongs name in areas where Ring Dings were available. The compromise sound-alike name King Dons lasted until [[Interstate Bakeries Corporation]], which had recently merged with Hostess' parent company, bought [[Drake's Cakes|Drake's]] in 1998. The Hostess product was then sold under the name Ding Dongs throughout the United States, although it was still sold as King Dons in Canada. |
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==Cartoon characters== |
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To advertise Ding Dongs, Hostess created the cartoon character King Ding Dong, an anthropomorphized Ding Dong sporting a crown and scepter. He was similar to other Hostess characters [[Captain Cupcake]], Happy Ho Ho, [[Twinkie the Kid]], [[Fruit Pie the Magician]], and Chipper Brownie. Where King Dons were marketed, the character, like the product, was known as "King Don." In areas that once used the Big Wheels name, the character was previously an Indian [[Tribal chief|chief]] named "Chief Big Wheel". |
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==See also== |
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{{portal|Food}} |
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*[[Choco pie]] |
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*[[Ho Hos]] |
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*[[Twinkie]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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<references/> |
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* [http://www.hostesscakes.com/faq.asp Hostess Cakes FAQ] |
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* [http://www.orlandocitybeat.com/columnists/ocb-popculture-infinitejest110604,0,7132222.column?coll=ocb--columns Orlando City Beat column] |
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==External links== |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120919212719/http://hostesscakes.com/products/ding-dongs Page on Hostess' website (archived)] |
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{{Snack cakes}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Brand name snack foods]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Hostess Brands brands]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:American desserts]] |
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[[Category:American snack foods]] |
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Latest revision as of 14:09, 20 July 2024
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
A Ding Dong is a chocolate cake produced and distributed in the United States by Hostess Brands and in Canada from Vachon Inc. under the name King Dons; in some U.S. markets, it was previously known as Big Wheels. With the exception of a brief period in 2013, the Ding Dong has been produced continuously since 1967. It is round with a flat top and bottom, close to three inches in diameter and slightly taller than an inch, similar in shape and size to a hockey puck. A white creamy filling is injected into the center and a thin coating of chocolate glaze covers the cake. The Ding Dong was originally wrapped in a square of thin aluminum foil, enabling it to be carried in lunches without melting the chocolate glaze.
History and naming
[edit]The Ding Dong is similar to other cream-filled cakes such as Arcade Vachon's Jos. Louis introduced before 1934.[1] Hostess began marketing its Ding Dong in 1967. The name was given to coincide with a television ad campaign featuring a ringing bell.
Hostess went out of business on November 16, 2012, stopping all production. The Hostess name and brands were acquired by private equity firms Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co.; in June 2013, the new Hostess Brands reopened a Kansas product plant and announced that Ding Dong production would resume on July 15, 2013. The J.M. Smucker Company then acquired Hostess in September 2023.[2]
Ring Ding – Ding Dong conflict
[edit]
The company marketed the snacks on the East Coast as Big Wheels, to avoid confusion with Ring Dings, a similar and pre-existing treat by Drake's Cakes. The names were consolidated in 1987, when a short-lived merger of Drake's with Hostess's parent company (then Continental Baking Company) briefly resolved the Ring Ding – Ding Dong conflict. When the merged company broke up, however, Hostess was once again forced to cease using the Ding Dongs name in areas where Ring Dings were available. The compromise sound-alike name King Dons lasted until Interstate Bakeries Corporation, which had recently merged with Hostess' parent company, bought Drake's in 1998. The Hostess product was then sold under the name Ding Dongs throughout the United States, although it was still sold as King Dons in Canada.
Cartoon characters
[edit]To advertise Ding Dongs, Hostess created the cartoon character King Ding Dong, an anthropomorphized Ding Dong sporting a crown and scepter. He was similar to other Hostess characters Captain Cupcake, Happy Ho Ho, Twinkie the Kid, Fruit Pie the Magician, and Chipper Brownie. Where King Dons were marketed, the character, like the product, was known as "King Don." In areas that once used the Big Wheels name, the character was previously an Indian chief named "Chief Big Wheel".
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Vachon Jos. Louis product page". Archived from the original on 2019-03-01. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
- ^ "J.M. Smucker to buy Twinkies maker Hostess Brands in $5.6 billion deal". September 11, 2023.
