The Historical Journey of SPAM

During challenging periods, people have creatively transformed seemingly unappealing ingredients into beloved dishes. This is precisely what Koreans achieved with SPAM in the 1950s.

Following World War II and throughout the Korean War, Korea faced severe food shortages, making fresh meat a rarity. Many resorted to waiting outside U.S. military bases to buy or scavenge discarded food. Items like SPAM, hot dogs, canned franks and beans, and American cheese singles, though not traditional, provided essential nutrients like salt, calories, and protein. Korean chefs reinvented these ingredients by simmering them in stews with kimchi, gochujang, and noodles, creating a uniquely Korean dish with American roots.

Budae-jjigae, or 'army base stew,' remained an underground delicacy until the 1980s, often relying on black market ingredients. Despite this, South Korea, like other U.S.-occupied regions, developed a lasting SPAM fascination. (North Korea produces its own version of canned meat). How did SPAM evolve from a practical meat product to a global culinary phenomenon? To understand, let’s explore its origins in the American Midwest.

Hormel's Groundbreaking Creation

By the time SPAM was introduced, Hormel had already established itself as a well-known brand. George A. Hormel, a former slaughterhouse employee, started the meat processing company in Austin, Minnesota, in 1891. After years of thriving with fresh pork products, the company launched its Flavor-Sealed Ham in 1926.

This innovation revolutionized the industry. The product involved vacuum-sealing ham in containers and cooking it within the can, ensuring it stayed fresh and tasty until opened. While it was deboned, unlike SPAM, it featured a single, identifiable piece of meat … conveniently canned.

Its launch aligned with a subtle transformation happening in American households. Innovations such as the refrigerator freed up time for women, eliminating the need for daily grocery trips and tedious food preservation techniques like curing and pickling. Alongside these appliances, new food varieties eased the burden on homemakers. Canned ham could sit in the pantry for months and was instantly edible upon opening. Even if enhanced with pineapples or sugar, it was far quicker than buying and preparing a whole fresh ham.

From Preserved Ham to SPAM

Jay Hormel took over as president of his father’s company in the late 1920s, bringing ambitious ideas to the table. One of his goals was to repurpose pork scraps from butchering into a novel food product. While pig shoulder is now a prized cut, it was largely seen as waste back then. Faced with heaps of discarded scraps annually, Jay aimed to transform them into something appealing. Hormel’s team achieved this by deboning the meat, grinding it into a paste, and mixing in seasonings and preservatives. The blend was then vacuum-sealed and cooked in its container, mirroring the process used for canned ham.

Though its reputation today is mixed, SPAM originally contained only six simple ingredients: pork, water, salt, sugar, and sodium nitrate. The recipe stayed unchanged for decades until Hormel introduced potato starch. This addition doesn’t alter the taste but helps absorb the gelatin layer that forms during cooking, improving its visual appeal.

SPAM was packaged similarly to Flavor-Sealed Ham and shared its long shelf life, but it wasn’t exactly canned ham. Hormel needed a name that highlighted its potential without misleading consumers. Jay Hormel turned to his inebriated friends for inspiration. As reported by Life magazine, he threw a New Year’s Eve party where each drink required a suggested name for the product. The winner received $100. Hormel noted, “By the third or fourth drink, their creativity started flowing.”

Actor Ken Daigneau won the $100 prize with his concise suggestion. Ken was the brother of R.H. Daigneau, a vice president at Hormel Foods.

While the origin of the name SPAM is clear, its meaning remains debated. Some believe it stands for Shoulder of Pork and Ham, while others suggest Scientifically Processed Animal Matter. The most popular theory is that it’s a blend of spiced and ham, despite the product being neither. Hormel has never confirmed any theory, stating that the true meaning is known only to a select few former executives.

Hormel’s creation wasn’t the first attempt at transforming pork scraps into a compact meat product. For centuries, Pennsylvanians have enjoyed scrapple, a budget-friendly breakfast dish made from pork trimmings, cornmeal, and spices. SPAM, however, stood out due to its innovative packaging. Like canned ham, it was a convenient option for busy households. Hormel emphasized its versatility—it could be sliced, diced, baked, fried, or eaten straight from the can. It tapped into America’s growing appetite for processed foods, with canned meat purchases rising from 18 percent in 1937 to 70 percent by 1940.

SPAM and Its Military Connection

While SPAM was gaining popularity in American homes, its true breakthrough came with the military. During wartime, when fresh meat was hard to come by, canned meat like SPAM wasn’t just convenient—it was essential. Packed with protein, flavorful, and easy to transport without refrigeration or heating, SPAM was also affordable. When President Franklin Roosevelt enacted the Lend-Lease Act in 1941, allowing the U.S. to send supplies to allies during World War II, Hormel began exporting 15 million cans of meat weekly, predominantly SPAM.

American soldiers, however, grew tired of eating SPAM for nearly every meal. Private First Class Lewis B. Closser was so frustrated with the repetitive diet that he wrote to Hormel, pleading for a break from SPAM shipments, even if it meant going hungry.

The story, detailed in a 1944 issue of Yank: The Army Weekly, took an unexpected turn. Hormel responded to Closser, stating that they hadn’t sold a single can of SPAM to the U.S. Army since the war began. They explained that the standard 12-ounce cans weren’t suitable for Army use and suggested soldiers were mistakenly calling another luncheon meat SPAM.

Case closed? Not quite. According to Carolyn Wyman’s book SPAM: A Biography, Hormel’s response sparked outrage among Army cooks and soldiers who insisted they had served and eaten genuine SPAM. The controversy peaked with a photo of a soldier standing behind a stack of authentic SPAM cans. Wyman notes that Hormel later acknowledged the Army had ordered SPAM in 1942 as a substitute for government-issued luncheon meat. Additionally, with so much SPAM being shipped overseas under Lend-Lease, some likely ended up in U.S. Army hands.

Wherever U.S. troops were stationed in the mid-20th century, SPAM was never far behind. This had an unexpected influence on global cuisine. During World War II, SPAM (or similar canned products often mistaken for SPAM) became a staple for soldiers in Hawaii and Europe alike. Locals began integrating it into their dishes, though more out of necessity than genuine fondness for the salty meat.

In 1940, a federal law barred non-U.S. citizens from obtaining fishing licenses for large boats, while Japanese immigrants were denied citizenship. By 1941, non-citizens were also prohibited from using certain fishing nets near Hawaii’s shores. These measures devastated Japanese-Hawaiian fishermen and disrupted the local food supply, making canned meats like SPAM a crucial resource.

SPAM’s Worldwide Triumph

After World War II, SPAM remained a staple in Hawaii, evolving from a survival food to a cultural icon. Waikiki’s annual SPAM JAM festival celebrates this transformation, showcasing dishes like SPAM Musubi, a Hawaiian sushi variant with fried SPAM, rice, and nori. Hawaiians consume over 7 million cans of SPAM annually, more per capita than any other U.S. state.

SPAM has also gained popularity across Asia and Polynesia. Introduced to the Philippines during U.S. colonization, it remains a beloved ingredient. SPAMsilog, a breakfast dish featuring fried SPAM, eggs, and garlic fried rice, is a Filipino favorite.

Budae-jjigae might be the most famous use of SPAM outside the U.S., but it almost faded into obscurity in Korea’s culinary history. Under Park Chung-hee’s rule from 1961 to 1979, South Korea imposed steep meat tariffs, making SPAM accessible only to the elite. The only exception was the black market, where tax-free SPAM smuggled from American bases could be purchased.

Due to its exclusive and illicit status, SPAM transformed from a discarded item to a coveted ingredient for many Koreans. The scarcity of fresh meat in the postwar era further cemented this perception.

In the 1980s, Hormel allowed a South Korean manufacturer to produce SPAM locally, making it widely available. However, its luxurious image persists. Today, Koreans often give SPAM as gifts during holidays. The Korea Herald reports that “SPAM gift sets make up 60 percent of annual sales” in the country. Budae-jjigae remains a popular way to enjoy SPAM, with entire restaurant chains specializing in the dish.

While army base stew is cherished across generations in South Korea, some view it as a reminder of its painful history. In an article, sociologist Grace M. Cho described the dish as a “culinary tragedy and a symbol of U.S. imperialism.” Yet, she acknowledges its cultural significance, noting that it “reflects the creativity born from hardship and the complex relationship between Koreans and Americans.” SPAM’s global success shows how people can turn even the unlikeliest ingredients into something extraordinary.

This story was adapted from an episode of Food History on YouTube.