A Blast from the Past

It was late 2012 when Hostess filed for bankruptcy and sold its assets. At the time, I hadn’t eaten or even though of a Suzy Q for years. When I was a kid I loved them and upon hearing the news, I was dying for a Suzy Q. Of course there were none to be had.

About six months later, Apollo Global Management and C. Dean Metropoulos and Company bought the Hostess cake business and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a Suzy Q. Every time I walked into a supermarket I made a beeline for the packaged cakes section. And every time I was disappointed. For whatever reason the new Hostess had decided not to bring back Suzy Q’s.

As time past my desire waned. Once in a while I’d check for Suzy Q’s, knowing my efforts would be fruitless. Then, this past weekend I was walking the aisles at Wegmans and there it was.

At eye level were boxes of Suzy’s Q staring me in the face. I hesitated at first, not sure if what I was looking at was real. Then I quickly grabbed one, as if to get it before they all disappeared.

Suzy Q’s are just one example of a legacy brand that retailers can capitalize on by putting on their shelves. There are plenty of consumers out there that, when they see a brand from their youth will jump at the chance to buy it. So, not only do these brands have a built-in audience, they have the ability to attract new consumers as well.

You see, sometimes it is not the new kid on the block that should get all the attention.