Bankruptcy Judge Approves Interstate Bakeries Financing Plan

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A judge has approved a financing plan for Interstate Bakeries Corp. that will help fund the maker of Wonder Bread and Hostess Twinkies as it works to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to court documents.

The plan, reached with firms including private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings LLC and General Electric Capital Corp, will provide new capital and credit facilities, according to documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Interstate Bakeries has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since September 2004.

The Kansas City, Missouri, company operates 41 bakeries, about 600 distribution centers and some 740 baker outlets across the United States, according to court documents. It employs about 22,000 people. (Reporting by Chelsea Emery, editing by Maureen Bavdek)