THOMASVILLE, Ga., Sept. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) today announced that Stephen R. Avera, executive vice president, secretary, and general counsel, and Bradley K. Alexander, executive vice president and chief operating officer, exercised stock options this week.

Mr. Avera exercised options for 88,087 shares of Flowers Foods common stock in a transaction with the company. Solely to cover the exercise price and related tax liability, he sold 61,700 shares. With the completion of this exercise, Mr. Avera increased his direct ownership from 372,176 shares to 398,563 shares, well in excess of the company's stock ownership guidelines. The options were granted to Mr. Avera in 2009 under the company's Equity and Performance Incentive Plan and were set to expire in February 2016.

Mr. Alexander exercised options for 15,000 shares of Flowers Foods common stock in a transaction with the company. Solely to cover the exercise price and related tax liability, he sold 9,400 shares. With the completion of this exercise, Mr. Alexander increased his direct ownership from 198,193 shares to 203,793 shares, well in excess of the company's stock ownership guidelines. The options were granted to Mr. Alexander in 2009 under the company's Equity and Performance Incentive Plan and were set to expire in February 2016.

About Flowers Foods

Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is one of the largest producers of fresh packaged bakery foods in the United States, with 2014 sales of $3.75 billion. Flowers operates bakeries across the country that produce a wide range of bakery products. Among the company's top brands are Nature's Own, Wonder, and Tastykake. Learn more at www.flowersfoods.com.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flowers-foods-executives-exercise-options-300148873.html

SOURCE Flowers Foods, Inc.