Sales of the canned cooked meat Spam have hit a record high for the seventh year in a row, despite pandemic-related challenges. That helped Hormel, the company that makes the iconic brand, deliver record sales of $3.5bn (£2.65bn) in the three months to the end of October. The firm's boss said it will start work on expanding its range of Spam products next year. Outside the US, Spam has a large international market, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. It has been a household name in Hawaii since it was introduced in 1937. It can be found on menus across the islands, as Spam musubi - a sushi-like dish - Spam fried rice, and the popular breakfast - Spam, eggs, and rice. In South Korea, it was introduced 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. Tins of Spam are even given as presents for the Lunar New Year, sometimes presented in gift-boxes as part of special promotion for the holiday. Hormel is based in the US state of Minnesota and operates in more than 80 countries worldwide. As well as Spam and Planters, its brands include Natural Choice and Applegate meat products and Skippy peanut butter.
Spam Sales Up