I haven’t tried any Hostess products recently. My best guess is maybe they are using a different type of oil or fat in the products. Or, maybe a flavoring is different. I really notice when something is made with butter, margarine, lard, or vegetable shortening. Different margarines are sooo different.
I recommend you call the company and complain. I have done it more than once when a product has changed in flavor. My mom did it when Coke changed, and we all know Coke went back to the old formula. Although, some people question if it really is the same. I called when Fleishmann’s margarine tasted different, and customer service said they were so overloaded with calls they already had changed the formula back and it should be on the shelves in a month.
I know in TN, where I was living when Hostess went out of business, the shelves started to fill with more Entemann’s products. I was so glad! Entemann’s was almost impossible to find there. I love Hostess Ho Ho’s, but for almost any other baked good in a package Entemann’s is far superior. I wonder if a percentage of the market has already changed their behavior to buying the other brands that were filling the shelves.