Variable Interest Entity

9 Months Ended

Oct. 08, 2011

Variable Interest Entity [Abstract]

Variable Interest Entity

9. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY

The company maintains a transportation agreement with an entity that transports a significant portion of the company's fresh bakery products from the company's production facilities to outlying distribution centers. The company represents a significant portion of the entity's revenue. This entity qualifies as a variable interest entity ("VIE"). Under previous accounting guidance, we consolidated the VIE in our consolidated financial statements from the first quarter of 2004 through the fourth quarter of 2009 because during that time the company was considered to be the primary beneficiary. Under the revised principles, which became effective at the beginning of our fiscal 2010, we determined that the company is no longer the primary beneficiary and we deconsolidated the VIE in our financial statements. The VIE has collateral that is sufficient to meet its capital lease and other debt obligations and the owner of the VIE personally guarantees the obligations of the VIE. The VIE's creditors have no recourse against the general credit of the company.

The company has no exposure to gains or losses of the VIE in reporting its net income. In addition, the company does not have explicit or implied power over any of the significant activities to operate the VIE. The primary beneficiary of the VIE realizes the economic benefits and losses incurred and has the power to direct most of the significant activities. The VIE is permitted to pass along increases in their costs, with company approval, at a capped increase of 2% per year. The company and the VIE also agree on a rebate paid or credited to the company depending on the profitability of the VIE in the preceding year. We do not guarantee the VIE's specific returns or performance benchmarks. In addition, if a manufacturing facility closes or there is a loss of market share causing the VIE to have to move their equipment the company will make an effort to move the equipment to another manufacturing facility. If the company is unable to do so, we will reimburse the VIE for any losses incurred in the disposal of the equipment and will pay the cost to transfer the equipment. The company's maximum loss exposure for the truck disposals is the difference in the estimated fair value of the trucks from the book value.

As part of the deconsolidation of the VIE, the company concluded that certain of the trucks and trailers the VIE uses for distributing our products from the manufacturing facilities to the distribution centers qualify as right to use leases. As of October 8, 2011 and January 1, 2011, there was $8.4 million and $9.7 million, respectively, in net property, plant and equipment and capital lease obligations associated with the right to use leases.

As part of the Tasty acquisition the incorporated independent distributors ("IDs") who deliver TastyKake products qualify as VIEs. The IDs qualify as VIEs primarily because Tasty (and now the Company) finances the routes, which creates variability to the Company from various economic and pecuniary benefits. However, the Company is not considered to be the primary beneficiary of the VIEs because the Company does not (i) have the ability to direct the significant activities of the VIEs that would affect their ability to operate their respective distributor territories and (ii) provide any implicit or explicit guarantees or other financial support to the VIEs, other than the financing described above, for specific return or performance benchmarks. The Company's maximum exposure related to the distributor route notes receivable of these VIEs is less than 10% of the total distributor route notes receivable for the consolidated company.