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On this day in history, July 5, 1937, SPAM is introduced by Hormel Foods
SPAM, the canned processed meat product that has developed a cult following, was introduced by Hormel Foods on this day in history, July 5, 1937.
The mystery meat’s ingredients are not so mysterious after all, according to the official website for SPAM (a combo of the words “spiced ham”).
Consisting of “six simple ingredients” — pork with ham, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrate — SPAM has “a relatively simple, conventional” production process, says its website.
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“First, the pork and ham are pre-ground. Then, salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients are added and mixed, to reach the desired temperature,” the site points out.
“From there, the mixture is moved over to the canning line, where it’s filled into the familiar metal cans, 12 ounces at a time.”
SPAM was introduced to the world in July 1937. Hormel claimed in 2022 that some 13 cans of SPAM were consumed every second. (Newscast/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The filled cans are then brought to a “closing machine,” where they are vacuum sealed.
The cans are then cooked and cooled for a three-hour period, are given labels and are then put into cases, the SPAM website details.
Beginning in 1941, SPAM was sent around the world to feed Allied troops during World War II, says the SPAM website.
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Since the meat is pre-cooked and tinned, it is shelf-stable and ideal for shipping long distances.
Over 100 million pounds of SPAM were sent to feed the troops, the site indicates.
In 1959, the one-billionth can of SPAM was sold.
The popularity of SPAM has led to at least two annual festivals in the United States.
As of 2023, over 9 billion cans of SPAM have been sold throughout the world, the company says.
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The popularity of SPAM has led to at least two annual festivals in the United States that celebrate the product, as well as the SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota.
Austin, Minnesota, is also home to the SPAM Jam, a festival about all things SPAM-related.
Stacks of SPAM sit on grocery store shelves. The product has sold more than nine billion tins since it was introduced on July 5, 1937. (Getty Images)
While Hormel Foods is headquartered in Minnesota, another state has taken a particular liking to SPAM: Hawaii.
“More SPAM is consumed per person in Hawaii than in any other state in the United States,” according to the website for the Waikiki SPAM JAM, the other SPAM-focused food festival.
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“Almost seven million cans of SPAM are eaten every year in Hawaii,” said the festival’s webpage.
It is so popular in the state that McDonald’s introduced SPAM products in its Hawaiian restaurants in 2002, the Associated Press noted at the time.
A cashier at a McDonald’s location in Wahiawa, Hawaii, stands behind an advertisement for the then-new SPAM, Eggs and Rice Breakfast Platter in June 2002. Hawaii’s residents consume more SPAM compared to residents of any other U.S. state. (Phil Mislinski/Getty Images)
SPAM is also a popular ingredient in various Asian cuisines, particularly Korean.
South Koreans consume more SPAM than the residents of any other country besides the United States, the Hormel Foods website notes.
Despite having only a sixth of the population of the United States, South Koreans consume half as much SPAM each year.
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The popular Korean dish “budae jjigae” — which translates to “Army stew” or “Army base stew” — developed after the Korean War, when an economic downturn meant that meat was scarce and expensive.
A U.S. Army base in the South Korean city of Uijeongbu had a surplus of various processed food, including SPAM — which “was totally new to Koreans,” Korean chef and YouTube creator Maangchi said on her website.
Budae jjigae, or “Army Stew,” was made from ingredients that were found on U.S. Army bases in South Korea after the Korean War, including SPAM. (iStock)
“Eventually these ingredients made their way into surrounding areas of the base and some creative Koreans made stew from them,” she said.
“They boiled spam, ham, sausages and baked beans with kimchi, garlic and hot pepper paste and flakes, creating a Korean-style stew with American ingredients.”
Even as South Korea’s economy rebounded, the stew — and SPAM as a whole — remained extremely popular.
SPAM has been available in as many as 15 varieties in recent years, including SPAM Classic, SPAM Lite, SPAM 25% Less Sodium, SPAM Maple Flavored, SPAM with Real HORMEL Bacon, SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey, SPAM Hickory Smoke Flavored, SPAM Hot & Spicy, SPAM Jalapeño, SPAM Chorizo, SPAM Teriyaki and SPAM with Tocino Flavoring, according to Hormel Foods.
Limited edition flavors SPAM Pumpkin Spice and SPAM Figgy Pudding were produced in 2019 and 2022, respectively, says the SPAM website.
In 2022, Hormel claimed that some 13 cans of SPAM were consumed every second, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
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Armando Sanchez-Lopez (Courtesy: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
PHOENIX – Sheriff’s officials in Maricopa County say a man has been arrested in connection with a case involving a Utah teen who was reported missing in late April.
What we know:
According to a May 5 statement from MCSO, 30-year-old Armando Sanchez-Lopez was arrested on April 29, after he was seen with the missing teen.
Investigators said the teen left Lehi City, Utah on April 24 in an unknown vehicle.
“Information provided by a family acquaintance indicated the juvenile may have been in Arizona and possibly being held against her will,” read a portion of the statement.
Dig deeper:
MCSO said it was determined that on the night of April 24, the acquaintance had provided transportation for the juvenile to a home in the area of Dysart Road and Maryland Avenue in Litchfield Park.
“The juvenile requested to be dropped off a short distance away and proceeded on foot. When the acquaintance attempted to follow, an unidentified adult male confronted him and reportedly brandished a rifle, prompting the acquaintance to leave the area,” read a portion of MCSO’s statement. “In the days following, the acquaintance received messages from the juvenile indicating she was being held against her will and was in need of assistance.”
On April 29, investigators said they received “updated information that the juvenile had returned to a residence in the area and had subsequently left on foot with an adult male toward another nearby address.” They later contacted the teen and the man, who turned out to be Sanchez-Lopez.
What’s next:
Per MCSO, Sanchez-Lopez has “five prior sexual related accusations involving several victims.” He is accused of sexual assault, sexual conduct with a minor, kidnapping, aggravated assault, custodial interference, and failure to comply with a court order.
Officials say MCSO’s Special Victims detectives are still investigating the case.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
Twenty-nine people were busted with fake IDs inside a sushi restaurant on California’s Central Coast on April 23, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.
Undercover agents with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control busted the underage drinkers at HaHa Sushi and Ramen on the 1000 block of Olive Street. Inside the restaurant, agents saw “a large group of youthful-appearing individuals” ordering and drinking alcohol, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said.
“In accordance with state law, agents contacted and identified the members of the group, discovering no one was 21 years old and every person was in possession of a fake identification card,” police said.
During the investigation, 29 people were cited and released for possession of a fake ID. Six of these suspects were arrested for being minors in possession of alcohol. All of the suspects were cited and released from custody at the restaurant.
“Preventing the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors helps increase public safety by reducing DUI arrests and collisions,” the San Luis Obispo Police Department said. “Statistics have shown that young people under the age of 21 have a much higher risk of being involved in a collision than older drivers. About 25% of fatal crashes involve underage drinking, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”
Northern Colorado finally hit with spring snowstorm
A much-needed soggy storm brought a mix of rain and snow to the Fort Collins, Windsor and Loveland, Colo., area May 5, 2026.
A 5-year-old New Mexico girl survived more than 30 hours trapped in a truck that crashed and killed her parents on May 1 in southern Colorado, according to first responders.
The Upper Pine River Fire Protection called it “both a tragedy and a miracle” for the girl in a Facebook post.
The vehicle was not discovered until May 2, according to a Colorado State Patrol news release. Police believed the blue Chevrolet S-10 pickup went off the south shoulder of Highway 160 near milepost 104, just east of Bayfield, around 6 a.m. on May 1, rolled over an unknown number of times and came to rest on its roof.
CSP said three occupants were in the truck. Devante Griffin, 25, the driver, and Klariza Tarango, 24, both of Farmington, New Mexico, were pronounced dead at the scene. A 5-year-old girl, identified in media reports as their daughter. was taken to an area hospital for injuries and has been released to family.
What caused the crash?
Colorado State Patrol were still investigating the accident on May 5. A news release said “impairment and excessive speed are not being investigated as factors leading to this crash” at this time.
It also said no charges are expected to be filed in the case.
Why did nobody see the truck sooner?
CSP said in the release that the location was not visible from the road.
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network.
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