How Spam became one of the most iconic American brands of all time

[DonViejo]

THE CONVERSATION
03 JUL 2017 AT 10:46 ET

While you might think of Spam as a basic canned meat, it’s actually one of the greatest business success stories of all time: Since Hormel Foods Corporation launched the affordable, canned pork product in 1937, it’s sold over eight billion cans in 44 countries around the world.

On July 5, Spam celebrates its 80th anniversary. It’s fitting that this comes only a day after the birthday of the United States. The product is up there with Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Pizza Hut as one of the most distinctive American brands of all time.

As a consumer behavior researcher, I believe Spam’s widespread success can be attributed to two factors: it addressed a real need, and also formed an emotional connection with its consumers, by tapping into American ideals like ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Spam ‘hits the spot’

Spam isn’t exactly the most exciting product.

The original recipe included chopped pork shoulder meat with ham, salt, water, sugar and sodium nitrite. (This remained unchanged until 2009, when Hormel added potato starch in an effort to eliminate one of the product’s less attractive features: the gelatin layer created by the cooking process.) At the time it was introduced, it was the only canned meat product on the market that needed no refrigeration. This feature gave Spam a significant competitive advantage.

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http://www.rawstory.com/2017/07/how-spam-became-one-of-the-most-iconic-american-brands-of-all-time/

[kimbutgar]

1. I never had spam in my life

My Dad forbid my mother from ever bringing a can in the house. He ate a lot of spam in ww2 and said he would never eat it again.

[marylandblue]

2. If Spam is so great, why did they name junk email after it?

[jberryhill]

5. That was a consequence of this Monty Python sketch

The Vikings are so enamored of spam, that their enthusiasm drowns out all other conversation, and the spam seems unavoidable.

[jberryhill]

3. My newest recipe is Spam Vindaloo

Perfection.

[LeftInTX]

13. OMG!!

I never know whether you are joking or telling the truth, Laughing Cow!

OTOH, if I tell my husband about this, he would make it and love it.
We've got jars of vindaloo sauce.
He put vindaloo sauce on a cucumber salad the other day. He said, "It needed something".

[jberryhill]

16. Chorizo Vindaloo is good too

But instead of potatoes, I put the vindaloo over spaetzle dumplings or egg noodles.

My spaetzle dumplings are blobs of spaetzle dough just dropped into boiling water with some bouillon. I'm not a big fan of potatoes.

I was left to my own devices in the kitchen for two weeks and have become something of a mad scientist of vindaloo.

[LeftInTX]

17. Actually Chorizo Vindaloo sounds kinda good.

Since chorizo is sweet. It seems like it will go well with vindaloo sauce.
I may sneak a try at it, without my husband's knowledge...LOL

[oberliner]

4. Monty Python gets all the credit

As far as I'm concerned.

[DonViejo]

6. Red Beans and Rice with SPAM

Recipe by: CYNDMN28 "This is a recipe that my mom made for us while growing up. We live in Minnesota, where SPAM originated, and my father is Puerto Rican; this was an ingenious way for my mother to weave the cultures together. This is a quick and tasty meal, enjoy!"

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/66961/red-beans-and-rice-with-spam/

[citood]

7. I looooove Spam

Plop it out of the can, cut into strips with a cheese slicer, and bake strips for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees. Delectable.

I'm glad they change the way you had to open the can though.

[DinahMoeHum]

8. Spam Jam Festival, anyone?

Hawaii has had this since 2002:

http://spamjamhawaii.com/

[left-of-center2012]

9. I like Spam

Sliced right out of a can, on a dinner roll, with Mayo.

[procon]

10. When I was a kid, my dad fried up SPAM and egg sammiches almost every weekend.

My mom loathed it, refused to buy it, and would not cook it, let alone serve it, but dad loved it. After a long absence, I have recently rediscovered SPAM and remembered that I actually like the stuff.

[Aristus]

11. My family went through a rough patch after my parents got divorced.

Money was tight. My mother was trying to make payments on the insanely high mortgage my father had secured without her knowledge. My sister and I worked multiple wage-jobs and odd jobs to bring in extra money. But we still had to economize any way we could.

We ate a lot of Spam for a short period of time. None of us liked it very much, but fried and with some creative seasoning, we were able to make it palatable.

I haven't had any Spam since I was a teenager, but it helped us get through the lean times...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. A "must see" if you're ever in Austin, MN

And if it's closed, as it was when I was there, there are some decent bars in the same block. Cheers!

On M.A.S.H., Radar saved a lamb by creating a "fake" roast lamb from SPAM.

[LeftInTX]

14. The Spam lamb was hillarious!

[LeftInTX]

15. It is too salty for me...yuck