Last week Hostess Brands — which makes iconic foods such as Twinkies and Wonder Bread — announced that it is going out of business and filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court seeking permission to close its business and sell its assets. The move, which comes after a costly labor dispute, means that some 18,500 Americans will lose their jobs. However, a judge on Monday ordered Hostess into mediation with union workers. We asked Harlan Platt, professor of finance in the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, to weigh in on the situation and what it could eventually mean for some of America’s most beloved brands.