Twinkies maker Hostess bought by food giant Smucker for $5.6bn

Classic US snack maker Hostess Brands is being bought rival food giant JM Smucker in a $5.6bn (£4.5bn) deal.

Shares in the firm known for brands including Twinkies, Donettes and Ho Hos jumped on the news.

Smucker is famous for its fruits preserves and Jif peanut butter.

Some of America's biggest food brands - including PepsiCo, Oreo maker Mondelez International and Cheerios maker General Mills - were also reportedly interested in buying Hostess.

Smucker said it expects the deal to be completed in the third quarter of its current financial year.

Hostess, which is based in the city of Lenexa, Kansas, was founded in 1930 and makes several iconic household brands, including Ding Dongs, Zingers, and Voortman cookies and wafers.

Ohio-headquartered Smucker, which along with its jams and jellies also owns coffee and pet food brands, has a stock market valuation of around $14bn.

The deal marks the latest big takeover this year in the US food manufacturing business.

Last month, Campbell's Soup announced it was buying Rao's pasta sauce owner Sovos Bands for $2.7bn.

The month before that M&M's owner Mars acquired Kevin's Natural Foods, while consumer goods giant Unilever bought frozen yoghurt brand Yasso in June.

Hostess Brands shares ended the New York trading day up by more than 19%. Smucker shares closed 7% lower.