The UK’s spam sales have reached a new record, as many people stock up on food that can be kept warm during the pandemic.
Sales have rocketed by 4.2pc this year, according to data firm Nielsen, helping Hormel, the company that makes the iconic brand, deliver record sales of £2.65bn in the three months to the end of October.
Spam worldwide sales have broken new records seven years in a row, resulting in the increase.
Spam gained popularity during World War II. However, it was generally frowned upon in the Filet-mignon-loving elites.
A spokesman for the company said: ‘Sales have been very strong because of the pandemic as people stock up. It is hard times, sometimes people like a bit of comfort and to hark back to the good old days.’
Spam gained immense popularity during World War II. However, it was generally frowned upon in the eyes of filet-mignon loving individuals.
The product is still loved by many and it’s often eaten with eggs and chips.
Monty Python, who dedicated an entire sketch in 1970 to processed meats, epitomized its iconic status.
The sketch was set in a café which mostly served dishes containing Spam, including ‘egg and Spam, egg bacon and Spam, Spam egg sausage and Spam, Spam egg Spam Spam bacon and Spam.’
It has a loyal following and is frequently served as a breakfast option with egg and chips.
Hormel manufactures Spam in America from Austin, Minnesota. It also operates internationally in more than 80 countries.
Spam is a popular product outside the USA, particularly in Asia-Pacific.
Since 1937, it has become a household name here in Hawaii.
You can find it on many menus in the Islands, including Spam Musubi, a Japanese-style dish, Spam Fried Rice, and Spam Eggs and Rice.
It was first introduced in South Korea by the US Army during the Korean War when food was scarce.
Today, Spam is so much a part of South Korean culture, that it is the staple ingredient in one of the country’s favourite dishes: budae jjigae, or army stew.
‘The Spam brand delivered its seventh consecutive year of record growth,’ Hormel’s chief executive Jim Snee said.
‘We are also beginning work on another expansion for the Spam family of products scheduled to be operational in 2023,’ he added.