Hormel developed America's first canned ham (''Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham'') in 1926, and eleven years later developed the first canned meat product that did not require refrigeration. It was a ''distinctive chopped pork shoulder and ham mixture'' developed by Jay C. Hormel, son of Hormel founder George A. Hormel, and marketed as ''Hormel Spiced Ham'' - not a terribly inspiring name for an innovative product fated to save lives, win wars, and balance diets of people world wide.
Hormel Spiced Ham got off to a slightly rocky start. Other meatpackers began to introduce their own canned luncheon meats, and Hormel lost its controlling share of the market. Soon, however, they came up with a cunning plan to rectify this situation - they would give Hormel's luncheon meat a truly catchy name. Toward this end, they offered $100 for a suitable appellation. The winning name was, of course, ''SPAM'', and a legend was born.
SPAM was launched with much high-profile advertising in mid-1937. It was called ''the Miracle Meat'', and promoted as an anytime meat. In 1940, SPAM was the subject of quite possibly the first singing commercial. The jingle was to the tune of the chorus of ''My Bonny Lies Over The Ocean'', and the lyrics were ''SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM/ Hormel's new miracle meat in a can/ Tastes fine, saves time./ If you want something grand,/ Ask for SPAM!''. Hormel also sponsored George Burns' and Gracie Allen's network radio show, which included ''Spammy the Pig''. During World War II, sales boomed. Not only was SPAM great for the military, as it required no refrigeration, it wasn't rationed as beef was, so it became a prime staple in American meals. SPAM supported the war effort more directly, too. Nikita Kruschev credits SPAM with the survival of the Russian Army during WWII. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Hormel Girls performing troupe advertised SPAM as they performed throughout the country, distributed SPAM door-to-door, and even had a national weekly radio show. Ads proclaimed, ''Cold or hot, SPAM hits the spot!''
In 1960, SPAM began to be sold in 7 oz cans alonside the original 12 oz ones. SPAM began to spawn variations in 1971, when smoke-flavored SPAM was introduced. Next came less salt/sodium SPAM, in 1986, and with it the honour of being considered ''state of the art in its industry'' by the Minnesota Association of Commerce and Industry." In the early 1990s, SPAM Breakfast Strips were introduced, as was SPAM lite.
What now awaits us on the SPAM front? Only time (and possibly Hormel) will tell.
