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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right">Filed by Hostess Brands, Inc. (Commission File
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">No.&nbsp;001-37540)</FONT> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right">pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right">and deemed filed pursuant to Rule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14d-9</FONT> under </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right">the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right">Subject Company: Hostess Brands, Inc. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="right">Commission File No.: <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">001-37540</FONT> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This filing relates to the proposed acquisition of Hostess Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (&#147;Hostess Brands&#148;), by The J. M. Smucker Company, an
Ohio corporation (the &#147;Company&#148;), and SSF Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (&#147;Purchaser&#148;), pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September&nbsp;10, 2023, by and
among the Company, Hostess Brands, and Purchaser. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">. . . </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Emails in the following form were shared with certain suppliers of Hostess Brands on September&nbsp;11, 2023. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>To:</B> Hostess Brands Suppliers </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>From:</B> XXXX </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Date: </B>September&nbsp;11, 2023 </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Subject: </B>Hostess
Brands Business Update </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">To our valued suppliers, </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Today,
Hostess Brands announced it is entering its next chapter by agreeing to join The J.M. Smucker Co. This announcement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each member of our team as well as our business partners like you. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">At Hostess Brands, we consistently strive to be a partner in driving above market growth and providing high-quality products to consumers across the U.S. and
Canada. Our strength in the convenience channel is highly complementary to The J.M. Smucker Co.&#146;s business and we believe that by combining our iconic brand portfolio with The J.M. Smucker Co., we will enhance our ability to excel as a combined
company in the rapidly growing snacking category and broader evolving food industry. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Above all, this transaction will ensure that we can deliver maximum
value to all of our stakeholders, and we intend to remain a valued partner to our suppliers. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As of now, this transaction will not impact any existing
supplier relationships or contracts. All current contracts will continue to be honored and it is business as usual at Hostess Brands for the time being. If there are any new changes that arise as a result of this process, we want to assure you that
we are committed to transparency and will keep you informed as we gather more details. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We thank you for your continued partnership with Hostess Brands,
and we look forward to sharing with you what&#146;s next with The J.M. Smucker Co. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Sincerely, </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">[NAME] </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">[TITLE] </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The exchange
offer referenced in this communication has not yet commenced. This communication is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities, nor is it a substitute for the exchange
offer materials that Hostess Brands or The J.M. Smucker Co. or its acquisition subsidiary, SSF Holdings, Inc., will file with the SEC. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor
shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The solicitation and offer to buy
Hostess Brands stock will only be made pursuant to an Offer to Exchange and related exchange offer materials that The J.M. Smucker Co. intends to file with the SEC. At the time the exchange offer is commenced, The J.M. Smucker Co. and its
acquisition subsidiary will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO, The J.M. Smucker Co. will file a registration statement on Form <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">S-4</FONT> and thereafter Hostess Brands will file a
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14D-9</FONT> with the SEC with respect to the exchange offer. HOSTESS BRANDS&#146; STOCKHOLDERS AND OTHER INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY THE EXCHANGE OFFER
MATERIALS (INCLUDING AN OFFER TO EXCHANGE, A RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CERTAIN OTHER EXCHANGE OFFER DOCUMENTS) AND THE </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">
SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14D-9</FONT> BECAUSE THEY WILL EACH CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT HOLDERS OF HOSTESS BRANDS SECURITIES AND
OTHER INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER. The Offer to Exchange, the related Letter of Transmittal, certain other exchange offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on
Schedule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14D-9,</FONT> will be made available to all stockholders of Hostess Brands at no expense to them and will also be made available for free at the SEC&#146;s website at www.sec.gov. Additional copies may be
obtained for free by contacting either The J.M. Smucker Co. or Hostess Brands. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Hostess Brands will be available free of charge on Hostess Brands&#146; website at https://www.hostessbrands.com. Copies of
the documents filed with the SEC by The J.M. Smucker Co. will be available free of charge on The J.M. Smucker Co.&#146;s website at https://investors.jmsmucker.com or by contacting The J.M. Smucker Co. Investor Relations Department at <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">330-682-3000.</FONT></FONT> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In addition to the Offer to Exchange, the related Letter of
Transmittal and certain other exchange offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14D-9,</FONT> The J.M. Smucker Co. and Hostess Brands each file annual, quarterly and current
reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC, which are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC&#146;s website at http://www.sec.gov. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">1 </P>

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