SPAM was first introduced on July 5, 1937, and is a brand of canned cooked pork made by the Hormel Foods Corporation. But many are only just discovering what the name means
Spam, stylised as SPAM, was a crucial part of the diet for US soldiers during World War II and is now sold in 48 countries worldwide. The product was launched by Hormel Foods Corporation in 1937 to boost sales of pork shoulder, a cut that wasn’t particularly popular.
The name SPAM was coined by Ken Daigneau, the brother of a Hormel Foods vice president, who won a contest – and $100 (£75) – for naming the brand. However, since then, people have been pondering what the ‘acronym’ actually stands for. If you ever wondered what is means, keep reading because it makes so much sense.
The debate began after a baffled Reddit user asked: “What does the acronym SPAM (meat) mean to you?”. The comments section then became flooded with different suggestions, with one replying: “Shoulder Pork and Meat.” Another added: “Spare Parts of Animal Meat… At least that’s what us kids called it.” A third proposed: “Salted Pork Aggregated Meat.”
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According to the brand, SPAM isn’t an acronym but is likely a portmanteau, a word formed from blending two or more words – such as ‘brother’ and ‘romance’ creating a ‘bromance’.
A statement from the company reads: “There are some questions that continually plague man over time. Questions like ‘Is there intelligent life beyond Earth?’ And ‘What is the meaning of the SPAM brand name?’ Unfortunately, we can provide answers to neither.”
It continued: “The significance of the SPAM brand name has long been a subject of speculation. One popular belief says it’s derived from the words ‘spiced ham.’ The real answer is known by only a small circle of former Hormel Foods executives. And probably Nostradamus.”
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One user had previously suggested: “It’s a portmanteau, not an acronym, isn’t it? SPiced hAM.” Another member of the public chimed in: “Spiced ham.”
Originally that’s what it’s called but people came up with dumb names for it: ‘specially preserved army meat’ and ‘American meat’. SPAM has put to bed another rumour by disclosing the actual components used in its famed canned commodity.
“Ah, the age-old question; what is the meat in that special can of SPAM Classic? Many myths abound, but the answer is actually quite simple,” the brand clarified. “Six simple ingredients – pork with ham, salt, water, potato starch, sugar and sodium nitrite.”
According to a report by the New York Times, South Korea is the biggest consumer of SPAM after the United States. This type of meat is popular in dishes such as bugae-jiggae, also known as “army base stew”, which is made from kimchi, noodles and SPAM.