Depression-era Little Debbie snack that built a family-run bakery still has Americans hooked

The Depression-era Little Debbie snack that became a family-run bakery phenomenon traces its roots to a 1935 recipe for the Oatmeal Creme Pie created by O.D. McKee in Tennessee. What started as a 5-cent treat during the Great Depression later evolved into one of Little Debbie’s top sellers, with the company saying the first Little Debbie snack baked under its brand dates to 1960. Little Debbie credits the development to McKee after selling baked goods from the back of a 1928 Whippet, and notes the family purchased a bakery near Chattanooga in 1934. In initial testing, more than 14 million cakes sold within 10 months. Today, McKee Foods produces more than 75 products, and over 200 million cartons per year of the top three items—Oatmeal Creme Pies, Swiss Rolls, and Nutty Buddy wafer bars. Debbie McKee-Fowler chairs the board.