Spam Celebrates 70 Year Anniversary!

Yes you are invited to a party and Spam is the guest of honor. Spam that spicy meat in a can will be 70 years old this month. Spam produced by Hormel has been a part of American culture since 1926 where it was developed as the first canned ham. It was known back then as "Hormel Flavor Sealed Ham." Eleven years later Hormel developed the "1st" canned meat product that needed no refrigeration.

Hormel's new meat product would soon become a part of American history. The canned meat that would become known as Spam consisted of pork shoulder and ham mixture with various spices and was developed by Jay C. Hormel, son of Hormel founder George C. Hormel. Hormel later had a contest that offered a $100 prize for someone who could come up with a clever name for their innovational product. The contest was won and the name Spam was chosen. In 1937 Spam was called "Miracle Meat."

The 1940's heralded what might possibly be known as the 1st singing commercial. The commercial was done on the radio and used the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean." The lyrics went like this-
Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam
Hormel's new 'Miracle Meat' in a can.
Tastes fine-
Saves time-
If you want something grand-
Ask for Spam.

Hormel also were sponsors of The George Burns & Gracie Allen's Network Radio Show. The popular radio show included "Spammy the Pig." In the late 1940's and the early 1950's, "The Hormel Girls" performing troupe advertised Spam throughout the nation. They distributed Spam door-to-door and produced a weekly radio show. The famous advertising line was used often, "Cold or Hot Spam Hits the Spot!"

While World War 11 raged, Spam sales soared throughout the United States and in Europe.Spam was used by American troops because it was nutritious and cheap and needed no refrigeration. Here at home Spam was not rationed as were many beef products. Spam soon became a staple of the American diet. Spam's place in American culture had became firmly rooted.

Nikita Kruschev credited Spam for the survival of the Russian Army in World War 11. Margaret Thatcher of England, remembered fondly the taste of Spam during the War as being a delicious delicacy.

In 1980 the 3 billionth can of Spam was produced. The demand for a reduced calorie product was satisfied when in 1992 Hormel introduced Spam-Lite. Hormel opened it's Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota. You can visit the Spam Museum for free. Check out their web-site for hours of operation and location. You can find some interesting articles remembering Spam at www.spamgifts.com The sale of Spam continued to grow and in 2002 the 6 billionth can of Spam came off of the assembly line.

This year in the United States more than 60 million Americans will eat Spam for no other reason than just that they like the taste. The states known for consuming the most Spam are Hawaii, Alaska, Arkansas, Texas and Alabama. Hawaii consumes more Spam per capita,with an astounding sale of 6.9 million cans per year being sold. Many Hawaiians use Spam as a staple in their diet. The popularity of Spam on the islands may be related to Spam being shipped over to Hawaii to feed American troops during the War. The Hawaiians already loved the taste of pork and welcomed the ease of preparation and the nutritional value of Spam. There was also the factor that Spam needs no refrigeration in Hawaii's warm climate. Hawaiians eat their Spam fried, grilled, rolled in rice and wrapped in seaweed making Spamusubi, a popular Hawaiian dish. The United Kingdom and South Korea buy and consume the most Spam world-wide outside of the U. S..

Spam was often served on our table at home while I was growing up and though I never really fell in love with the taste, my Father adored it. Maybe you along with me will wish a very "Happy Birthday," to Spam, a part of growing up in America! Now let's go out and grill a delicious Spam-burger to celebrate.

Sources used for this article are as follows: www.hormel.com and http://www.cusd.claremont.edu/~mrosenbl/spam.html