SPAM TRIVIA & FACTS
This ground pork-shoulder and ham product would become the world's largest selling canned meat. It was created to make use of surplus pork shoulder, mixing it with ham, salt, sugar and sodium nitrite. To distinguish Hormel's "spiced ham" from similar products, the company held a contest to come up with a unique name. Kenneth Daigneau, brother of a Hormel executive, won the $100 prize with 'Spam.'
Spam was developed by George A. Hormel & Co. and first marketed in 1937.
Spam is a registered trademark name for a canned ground pork shoulder and ham product introduced by the Hormel Company in 1937.
During WW II, Hormel sold more than half of its output to the U.S. government, which supplied SPAM to the armed forces of the U.S., and also to the U.S.S.R. under the lend-lease program.
The 1 billionth can of spam was sold in 1959.
The 6 billionth can was produced in 2002.
West Yellowstone sponsors the 'Spam Cup' cross country ski race, with the winner receiving a can of Spam.
In addition to the U.S., spam is produced in 7 other countries: Australia, Denmark, UK, Japan, Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. Spam is distributed in more than 50 countries.
The SPAMJAM Cafe opened in February 2004 in the Philippines. Except for hot dogs, French fries and desserts, all other menu items are made with Spam, including Spam Burger, Spam Hero, Spam Club, Spam Spaghetti, Spam Baked Macaroni, Spam Nuggets and Spam Caesar Salad.
Austin, Minnesota, is home to the Hormel Company's plant that produces Spam, a canned meat product popular with Americans. Created in 1937, some of the first commercials aired on TV were for Spam.
Spam even has a mascot -- Spammy, the miniature pig. In 1991, for its 100th anniversary, Hormel Foods opened the First Century Museum. The exhibit of Spam memorabilia quickly became the most popular. In the United States alone, 3.6 cans of Spam are consumed every second, making it the number one product in its category (canned meat) by far. On the island of Guam, more than eight cans of Spam are consumed by every person each year.
More than 60 years after it was first produced, Spam is still enormously popular. More than 6 billion cans have been sold!
Library of Congress Local Legacies Project
Richard LeFevre holds the world record for eating SPAM by eating 6 pounds in 12 minutes.
(See also: Food Eating Contests)
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