Posted on 03/29/2011 4:54:33 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA
TAMPA - With food prices on the rise and families struggling to stretch their food dollars, sales of Spam are up – and so is the price.
Spam is just the sort of food you'd expect Americans to turn to in an economic crisis. The iconic metal can has been a part of the country's food landscape since 1937, fed the troops during World War II and harkens back to Baby Boomers' childhood.
Spam also enjoys something of a cult standing in popular culture, with legions of devoted fans swapping recipes online, annual festivals in Hawaii and Minnesota, and Spam cooking competitions at more than 20 county and state fairs.
For many others, it remains a deliberately repressed culinary memory.
Still, the numbers suggest many people are giving Spam a second chance.
In its most recent earnings report, filed last month, Hormel Foods reported a 6 percent first-quarter sales increase in its grocery foods division, driven by bigger sales of Spam and other products.
Hormel's international sales increased 17 percent year-over-year, driven by greater exports of fresh pork and Spam. That helped increase Hormel's first-quarter earnings 34 percent, compared to 2010.
Hormel spokeswoman Julie H. Craven explained her theory as to why in an email to the Tribune:
"Sales of Spam products continue to rise both nationally and internationally because it is offered at a great value, has a distinct savory and salty-sweet taste consumers enjoy and is versatile because it can be used in a variety of dishes."
A combination of ham and chopped pork shoulder meat, Spam is versatile. Witness the hundreds of recipes logged on the official Spam Recipe Exchange and the many varieties Hormel sells, including Spam with bacon, Spam with cheese and hickory smoked SPAM.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.tbo.com ...
Thank you!!!
They do have multi-packs.
I don’t think I’ve had SPAM since I was a kid in the 70’s. I’ll have to get some and try it. I think we used to have it with beans and eggs. My dad always used to cook up the canned corned beef too and mix it with potatoes and onions. That sounds really good right now.
I have been canning with beef stew meat.
I like to raw pack it. It is great for a quick meal of stew, chili, or just add it to a soup. The canning time makes it tender, and then it doesn’t clog up my freezer either.
I also like to can my own chicken stock. Much better than the store stuff.
“Great camping food!!”
Yup! Spam & eggs cooked in the great outdoors.....nice memories.
THE TWINKIE ! ! !
Oh, they do...well I guess it is really a “brick”, not so much a case - I think 8 cans per brick. Can’t beat the price and we rarely leave without one....
I don’t think that they have it at our local COSTCO. Ours was one of the first built and the local control freaks have prevented COSTCO from enlarging, claiming that the storm water run off would be a problem. They are using storm water as the excuse to regulate everything.
A brand named Sweet Sue still has whole chickens in a can. Never tired it but it is on the same aisle as the SPAM.
shoud have said never tried it - sheesh!
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