There are some questions that continually plague man over time. Questions like 'Is there intelligent life beyond Earth?' And 'What is the meaning of the SPAM® brand name?' Unfortunately, we can provide answers to neither. The significance of the SPAM® brand name has long been a subject of speculation. One popular belief says it’s derived from the words 'spiced ham.' The real answer is known by only a small circle of former Hormel Foods executives. And probably Nostradamus.
While the keeper of an emergency underground bunker might have you believe SPAM® products offer eternal freshness, there is, in fact, a limit to their goodness. On the bottom of every can of SPAM® product you’ll find a "best by" date. This is the date Hormel Foods recommends using the product by. You’ll likely find yourself gobbling up the delicious meat inside the can long before that date. But if you find yourself sitting on a stock of SPAM® products during a zombie invasion, be sure to check the date before you enjoy.
In Southeast Asia, a SPAM® brand gift pack would be considered an appropriate wedding gift. SPAM® products are regarded as luxury goods, with gift packs selling for as much as $45 U.S. So if you travel there for business, leave the cigars at home and pick up this delicacy for an introductory exchange.
The Philippines’ SPAM® brand craze is so strong that it inspired a restaurant based entirely around the brand. The SPAM JAM® restaurant in the Philippines is a magical place where you can order SPAMBURGER™ hamburgers, SPAM® Spaghetti, SPAM® and Egg, and a multitude of other SPAM® dishes.
In Hawaii, SPAM® products are practically the national food. It’s served everywhere from grocery store delis to fancy restaurants. Even McDonald’s features several SPAM® items on their breakfast menu. This fanaticism fuels sales of 7 million cans of SPAM® products per year in the Aloha State.
Guam may be a tiny island, but its appetite for SPAM® products is humongous. How humongous, you say? The average annual SPAM® product consumption comes out to 16 cans per person. Guam has also been the site of SPAM® Games, where locals sample and honor the best original SPAM® recipes.
Even those blokes in the UK love SPAM® products. Of course, it’s prepared in proper British style in a dish called SPAM® fritters. Similar to English fish ‘n chips, SPAM® products are dipped in batter and deep-fried. Once it’s good and crispy, it’s ready to serve -- with a sidecar of vinegar, of course.
This delicious American icon and global brand launched in 1937 as “The Meat of Many Uses!” and American households quickly ate it up. By 1940, 70 percent of urban Americans were eating SPAM® products. But it was the arrival of WWII, and the need for easily transported protein, that fueled the SPAM® brand’s incredible growth around the world. Today, with over a dozen varieties sold in more than 50 countries, this 79 year old brand continues to ignite invention all over the world.
In America, people come from far and wide to visit the SPAM® Museum. Located in Austin, MN (the birthplace of SPAM® brand), this museum is a curation of all things SPAM® brand, and pays tribute to its presence across the world.
In 1998, SPAM® product packaging was donated to the Smithsonian. How many meat products can boast such a distinction?
All of this passion and demand has amounted to this: in 2012, the eighth-billionth can of SPAM® product was produced. Chew on that for awhile.
SPAM® brand was introduced in Canada in 1955.
SPAM® products can be found in most grocery, wholesale and club retailers within the canned meat section of the store.
It's 6916 stacked SPAM® cans tall!
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Simple, the best way to eat it is with your mouth. Sandwiches are the most popular vehicle used to deliver it to your chompers. Which kind of sandwich is another question entirely though, as there are a plethora of recipes available. Beyond the sandwich, the versatility of this delicious meat provides endless meal options, including many that are uniquely preferred within particular cultures around the globe. By the time you asked every SPAM® Brand lover out there, the responses would likely include grilled, fried, in a taco, on a bun, as a snack, for supper, and even straight out of the can. There are countless ways to enjoy SPAM® products, and no wrong way.
In a word: magic. Of course, we’re biased, and if you haven’t had the good fortune of tasting magic before, that won’t tell you much. Speaking objectively, they taste kinda like ham. They also taste a little like pork roast. What we’re trying to say is, SPAM® products have a unique taste that’s unlike anything else out there. That taste also depends on the SPAM® variety and how you prepare it. Grilling, baking, or frying will result in different textures and subtleties. So the best way to answer this question is ultimately to try it for yourself.
At first glance, one might assume SPAM® products are produced through magic. But it’s actually a relatively simple, conventional process.
First, the pork and ham are pre-ground.
Then, salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients are added and mixed for 20 minutes, to reach the desired temperature.
From there, the mixture is moved over to the canning line, where it’s filled into the familiar metal cans, 340 grams at a time.
Once filled, cans are conveyed to a closing machine where lids are applied through vacuum-sealing.
Next, the cans are cooked and cooled for about three hours. At this point they’re nearly ready for enjoyment.
But the cans can’t leave naked. Labels are applied and then they’re off to be cased, where they await distribution.