In a piece in the Conversation, she wrote that Hormel Foods launched Spam shortly after the Great Depression, when meat was hard to come by and people were focused on saving money. Made with just five ingredients — pork with ham, salt, water, sugar and sodium nitrate — and no need for refrigeration (or even a can opener), it was a very appealing and unique product.
Sales really took off a few years later when the United States entered World War II. More than 150 million pounds were used to feed troops and were also introduced to locals in foreign countries. The grease was also effective in lubricating soldiers’ guns and waterproofing their boots.
Spam’s recipe remained unchanged until it added potato starch in 2009 to sop up the layer of gelatin that naturally forms when meat is cooked. Hormel insists the starch is simply to improve the look of the meat when the can is opened.
As Ruvio said Tuesday, “the rest is history.” Spam became a well-known American brand with 8 billions cans sold in 44 countries. There are 12.8 cans of Spam products eaten every second, according to Spam’s website.
Ruvio chalked up a big part of Spam’s success to its humorous marketing campaign: the Hormel Girls shortly after World War II, which was a musical troupe of female veterans who traveled the country and promoted the product.
In other news, the FW has my Spam Speedo under lock and key. Rest easy folks.