THOMASVILLE, Ga., Dec. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) today announced that Stephen R. Avera, executive vice president, secretary and general counsel, has exercised stock options for 96,862 shares and consequently increased his direct ownership from 402,517 shares of Flowers Foods common stock to 428,534 shares, which is well in excess of the company's stock ownership guidelines. Solely to cover the exercise price and related tax liability, Mr. Avera sold shares of Flowers Foods common stock obtained through this option exercise in the open market. The options were granted to Mr. Avera in 2010 under the company's Equity and Performance Incentive Plan and were set to expire in February 2017.

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 2015 sales of $3.8 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, Tastykake, and Dave's Killer Bread. Learn more at www.flowersfoods.com.

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SOURCE Flowers Foods, Inc.