McKee marks Little Debbie's 50th

A 75-pound oatmeal creme pie, which McKee Foods Corp. calls the world's largest, will help the Collegedale company highlight 50 years of Little Debbie snack cakes today.

"The Little Debbie brand has become somewhat of an American icon," said Mike Gloekler, the company's manager of corporate communications.

Collegedale Mayor John Turner said that McKee, which is holding an celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. at its bakery store on 9515 Apison Pike, is the city's lifeblood.

"There's no question it's a significant contributor," he said, citing McKee's 3,000 employees in the city and the property and sales taxes the company pays.

Mr. Turner said the privately held company also makes a lot of contributions to organizations doing fund-raisers.

"They're always at a lot of these functions," he said. "They're generous to the community."

Mr. Gloekler said Little Debbie has been "invited in so many homes via the pantry, to celebrate 50 years, we wanted to share with the rest of the community."

"This is a chance to bring everybody in," he said.

Little Debbie, whose picture is featured on products, is the granddaughter of company founders O.D. and Ruth McKee and is now Debbie McKee Fowler, an executive for the business.

According to McKee Foods, Little Debbie is the No. 1 selling snack cake in the United States. More than 150 billion have been sold in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and on U.S. military bases worldwide, the company said.

MCKEE FOODS

Founded in 1934

6,000 employees

About $1.2 billion annual sales

160 Little Debbie varieties

Production sites in Chattanooga, Gentry, Ark., Stuarts Draft, Va.

Source: Company

TURNING 50 ACTIVITIES

Meet Rhea Lynne Conner, 2010 Little Debbie look-a-like contest winner

First 1,000 attendees get anniversary recyclable shopping bag

Collegedale Bakery Store purchases 20 percent off

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