COLLEGEDALE, TENN. — Funny Bones, a snack cake that was part of the Drake’s Cakes line for many years, is returning to store shelves this month. McKee Foods, Collegedale, which has owned the Drake’s brand since 2013, said Funny Bones will be available in supermarket, supercenters, value retailers and conveniences stores throughout the Northeast.
Funny Bones are made with devil’s food cake, peanut butter crème filling and chocolate flavored icing. The product was first introduced in 1961.
McKee acquired the Drake’s brand from Hostess Brands, Inc. after that company declared bankruptcy in 2012. When Drake’s returned to supermarket shelves in September 2013, Funny Bones were not part of the roster. Since then, customers have “flocked to social media sites asking for” their return, McKee said.
“Unaffiliated Facebook pages such as ‘Bring Back Drake’s Cakes Funny Bones,’ have also popped up in an effort to show McKee Foods just how much people want the treat back,” the company said.
“Loyal fans of Funny Bones told us how much they missed their favorite Drake’s variety, and we wanted to bring it back the way they remember,” said Chip Stenberg, Drake’s associate brand manager. “After a significant investment in state-of-the-art bakery equipment, we’re now ready to return Funny Bones to the market.”
In a 2013 interview, a McKee spokesperson indicated allergen issues were behind a decision not to include Funny Bones in the Drake’s relaunch.
“It’s not cost effective to run alongside our current equipment,” he said. “That product almost needs its own dedicated line.”
Funny Bones join the line of Drake’s Cakes with quirky names, including Devil Dogs, Ring Dings, Yodels and Zoinks, as well as more generically named Drake’s fruit pies, mini-muffins, honey buns and Donut Delites. Funny Bones and all the Drake’s Cakes are certified kosher by the Orthodox Union.
The Bring Back Drake’s Cakes Funny Bones page on Facebook has 4,390 likes. News of Funny Bones’ return drew more than 2,900 likes as of early Oct. 1. The Facebook page features a posting of side-by-side photographic comparison of a Funny Bones with a 2-year-old sample of the product.
McKee Foods, based in Collegedale, is a baker of snack cakes and granola. Its other brands include Little Debbie, Sunbelt, Heartland and Fieldstone.
