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Times must be hard – Americans are buying Spam again
TimesOnLine ^ | December 6, 2008 | Mike Harvey

Posted on 12/07/2008 8:07:40 AM PST by vietvet67

In times of trouble the United States has historically turned to a tin of pink processed meat to see it through – and so it is again that sales of Spam are soaring as the recession bites.

They have shot up by more than 10 per cent in the past three months and the Hormel Foods Corporation has had to introduce a double shift at its factory in Austin, Minnesota, seven days a week to keep up with demand.

Spam costs only about $2.40 (£1.65) for a 12-ounce tin and keeps for ever, which earned it the slogan: meat with a pause button. Hungry consumers, desperate to cut back on spending but keen to put meat on the table, have been buying the product that “helped win the Second World War”.

The rise coincides with a record level of Americans using food stamps, the programme that helps the needy to buy food. More than 31.5 million Americans used the stamps in September – up by 17 per cent from a year ago, according to government data.

Spam was invented during the Great Depression by Jay Hormel, the son of the founder of the company. It is a brick of ham, pork, sugar, salt, water, potato starch and a hint of sodium nitrite “to help Spam keep its gorgeous pink color”.

Austin advertises itself as Spam-town and it boasts 13 restaurants with Spam on the menu. Johnny’s Spamarama menu includes eggs benedict with Spam for $7.35.

Employees are working flat out and next door the slaughter house butchers 19,000 pigs a day. “People are realising it’s not that bad a product,” said Dan Johnson, 55, who operates a 70ft (20m) oven in the factory.

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: economy; food; hormel
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To: Peter Horry
“I can’t possible be the only old man who can remember when a can of Spam represented the best meal we’d had in weeks.”

No, you are not, there are at least two of us. I can also remember when cracklins (grattons for you Cajuns) and a baked sweet potato were a treat.

There are at least 3 of us. Spam, mustard, homemade wheat bread and a slice of garden onion was Sunday dinner for us once upon a time. I still like it.

101 posted on 12/07/2008 10:22:58 AM PST by DonnerT (Libs can't crack smiles or smile at cracks!)
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To: RegulatorCountry

Every word the truth...the war made us into thieves as well. I made a little cart out of some scrap wood and my bicycle wheels. Sis and I would leave the house at nightfall and go to the railway yards where we had made a little hole under the fence wire..too small for me but sis could get throught it.

She passed lumps of coal to me while I loaded and kept a lookout for the railway police...coal was rationed and a cart full would last us for about two weeks.

If we got caught we usually took a licking from the railway police..so we travelled the railway yards like black ghosts.

Trouble was soap was also in short supply and hot water had to be heated in a kettle over the fire..thereby burning some of the coal we we had pinched..;-)

We spent many weary hours twisting paper to make large spills...if we soaked these in water they would burn very slowly along with a lump of coal giving a fair heat.

Ah! happy days...NOT!


102 posted on 12/07/2008 10:28:20 AM PST by Brit (yOU REALLY THINK T)
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To: Kolokotronis
She Who Must Be Obeyed finally relented, after 32 years of marriage, and bought some for me.

pssst: Men are actually allowed in grocery stores. I cannot imagine MY wife shopping for my food. I would starve to death!

103 posted on 12/07/2008 10:29:58 AM PST by don-o (My son, Ben - Recruit training at Parris Island from October 20)
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To: river rat
"I wonder if they STILL serve SOS in Chow Halls? "

Good question. I wonder if our young troops would try it.

104 posted on 12/07/2008 10:32:34 AM PST by vietvet67
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To: Electric Graffiti

105 posted on 12/07/2008 10:33:41 AM PST by abb ("What ISN'T in the news is often more important than what IS." Ed Biersmith, 1942 -)
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To: abb

Mmmmm

Carl Childers’ favorite


106 posted on 12/07/2008 10:35:31 AM PST by don-o (My son, Ben - Recruit training at Parris Island from October 20)
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To: vietvet67

I tasted it once sauteed with olive oil & green onions and served it over rice. It wasn’t bad..


107 posted on 12/07/2008 10:38:25 AM PST by Trillian
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To: vietvet67

I’m gonna fry me up some spam soon.

http://www.recipesource.com/main-dishes/meat/pork/spam/


108 posted on 12/07/2008 10:39:49 AM PST by citizen (Fascism: All persons, capital & activities exist to support the will & best interests of the State.)
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To: Dustbunny

I agree. God help me, I love Spam!


109 posted on 12/07/2008 10:41:15 AM PST by Redleg Duke ("Sarah Palin...Unleashing the Fury of the Castrated Left!")
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To: vietvet67

I had heard that Hormel in an attemp to hold down costs had offloaded Spam production to China.


110 posted on 12/07/2008 10:44:25 AM PST by E. Cartman (If Citigroup is too big to let fail, then break it up.)
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To: Electric Graffiti
SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM etc.
111 posted on 12/07/2008 10:49:26 AM PST by Tribune7 (Obama wants to put the same crowd that ran Fannie Mae in charge of health care)
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To: don-o

A regional favorite here in North Louisiana. To be properly prepared, place can on engine manifold (1973 Ford PU has ideal spot), drive at least 20 miles.

Serve on saltine crackers with either Nehi Orange or Grape.

112 posted on 12/07/2008 10:49:38 AM PST by abb ("What ISN'T in the news is often more important than what IS." Ed Biersmith, 1942 -)
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To: abb
Yup....

113 posted on 12/07/2008 10:49:47 AM PST by Electric Graffiti
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To: helpfulresearcher
And SPAM is the ultimate Muslim repellent and Jihadi detector!

Interesting thought - maybe you have something there, considering the recent run on ammunition. Perhaps people are making their own SPAMMO?

114 posted on 12/07/2008 10:51:18 AM PST by Ol' Sox
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To: TalBlack
Tell me about it! Back then, I could deal with it, but if I even LOOK at the stuff now, my ankles swell.

But, my parents did what they had to do back then, I guess.

115 posted on 12/07/2008 11:16:33 AM PST by RepoGirl ("I've seen things you wouldn't believe. Sea beams glittering at the Tannhauser Gate.")
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To: indylindy
I cannot buy the stuff. My hubby and his 4 brothers and sisters were raised by a tyrant Dad who forced them to eat spam and sauerkraut.

I gotta send this to my kids under the heading "It coulda been worse!". Back in the Carter days I stocked up like mad with this stuff - 97c a can. Had a couple of cases "just in case" as I surely though the country would go to Hell.

Fast forward a couple of years and I figured I'd better use the stuff up. We took a 4-week holiday that boxed the Union - up from Oceanside, CA to Alberta, over to Prince Edward Is via the Trans-Canada, down to Disney World in Orlando, FL, then back West to home. Almost every meal we had, you guessed it, SPAM. The kids would start crying when they saw the can. Personally, I love the stuff fried, with anything, but the wife won't buy it and the 40+ "kids" act like Dracula and the Cross if I talk of it.

116 posted on 12/07/2008 11:44:12 AM PST by Oatka ("A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." –Bertrand de Jouvenel)
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To: napscoordinator
It's all part of a master plan to blame the "new depression" on Bush........conspiracy theories abound.

But seriously, I think people are worried about the future as I am, and are buying spam and canned hams and tuna, as I am, to have provisions for a disaster. Any kind of disaster - whether natural, bailout, or Obama caused.

117 posted on 12/07/2008 11:57:46 AM PST by TnGOP (Petey the dog is my foriegn policy advisor. He's really quite good!)
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To: padre35

I like Span sandwiches, but can’t afford them at the going rate of $3.20 per pound.

So I buy a complete smoked ham on sale for $.79 to .$99 per pound and make do.

Why in the world is this canned meat scrap dish so expensive?


118 posted on 12/07/2008 12:00:49 PM PST by wildbill
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To: wildbill

Because you can buy Spam when you have money and it will still be around if you don’t have any money?

Personally I prefer those cans of Corned Beef Hash over Spam, they are a bit cheaper and taste better to me.


119 posted on 12/07/2008 12:10:54 PM PST by padre35 (You shall not ignore the laws of God, the Market, the Jungle, and Reciprocity Rm10.10)
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To: wildbill
Why in the world is this canned meat scrap dish so expensive?

These days its more expensive to be poor...Bush's fault in case you haven't heard.

120 posted on 12/07/2008 12:10:54 PM PST by Boston Blackie
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