SPAM’s story begins in 1937, in Austin, Minnesota, where Hormel created a cheap, shelf-stable meat during the tail end of the Great Depression. Its true rise came in World War II, when millions of cans were shipped to soldiers overseas. For many, it became the taste of survival: salty, simple, and endlessly adaptable. That blue can embedded itself in global food culture, from American breakfasts to Hawaiian musubi and Korean stews.

Despite its “mystery meat” reputation, SPAM is surprisingly straightforward. Classic SPAM contains just six ingredients: pork with ham, water, salt, sugar, potato starch, and sodium nitrite, a preservative that helps the meat stay safe and pink. The pork and ham are ground, mixed, briefly rested, vacuum-sealed, cooked in the can, then cooled. No secret scraps, no bizarre fillers—just processed, preserved meat that has outlived its jokes to become a strange, enduring icon.