Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:11 am Post subject: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
Goodbye prime rib, hello spam
Quote:
Love it, hate it or laugh at it - at least it's inexpensive.
Sales of Spam - that much maligned meat - are rising as consumers are turning more to lunch meats and other lower-cost foods to extend their already stretched food budgets.
What was once cheeky, silly and the subject of a musical (as Monty Python mocked the meat in a can), is now back on the table as people turn to the once-snubbed meat as costs rise, analysts say.
Food prices are increasing faster than they've risen since 1990, at 4 percent in the U.S. last year, according to the Agriculture Department. Many staples are rising even faster, with white bread up 13 percent last year, bacon up 7 percent and peanut butter up 9 percent.
There's no sign of a slowdown. Food inflation is running at an annualized rate of 6.1 percent as of April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The price of Spam is up too, with the average 12 oz. can costing about $2.62. That's an increase of 17 cents, or nearly 7 percent, from the same time last year. But it's not stopping sales, as the pork meat in a can seems like a good alternative to consumers.
Stretching food budget
Kimberly Quan, a stay-at-home mom of three who lives just outside San Francisco, has been feeding her family more Spam in the last six months as she tries to make her food budget go further.
She cooks meals like Spam fried rice and Spam sandwiches two or three times a month, up from once a month previously.
Pulling Spam from the shelf prevents last-minute grocery store trips and overspending, said Quan, 38, of Pleasanton, Calif.
"It's canned meat and it's in the cupboard and if everything else is gone from the fridge, it's there," she said.
Spam's maker, Hormel Foods Corp., reported last week that it saw strong sales of Spam in the second quarter, helping push up its profits 14 percent. According to sales information coming from Hormel, provided by The Nielsen Co., Spam sales were up 10.6 percent in the 12-week period ending May 3, compared to last year. In the last 24 weeks, sales were up nearly 9 percent.
The Austin, Minn.-based company, also known for the Jennie-O Turkey Store, has embarked on its first national advertising campaign for the 71-year-old brand in several years. They've credited the sales increase to that, along with new products like individually packaged "Spam Singles" slices. Also helping sales, executives said in an earnings conference call, was the fact that people looking to save money are skipping restaurant meals and eating more at home.
Is this a sign of the times or what? Looks like high gasoline and food prices are forcing more and more Americans to start eating that um, canned meat called Spam. Whatever it is. Never liked it, never will.
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:37 am Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
I can't stomach the stuff. I bought a 4-pack a couple years ago and tried it, and the other three cans sat on the shelf for months until I forgot how much I didn't like it. The second can ended up in the garbage, and the last two ended up in trick-or-treaters' bags.
Joined: Jul 26, 2006 Posts: 26 Location: Sydney, Australia
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 3:45 am Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
Food prices here, like everywhere are rising sharply. I was listening to the radio today and they had a segment on feeding a family for under $10. People rang up with are whole lot of ideas for cheap meals. The one I liked the best was buying a kilo of Kangaroo mince (going price is 5 AUD a kilo) and making Kangaroo spaghetti. Beef mince is close to double that price and Kangaroo is better for you than beef, better for you than Spam and WAY WAY better tasting than Spam!!!
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 5:01 am Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
Spam=SPiced hAM
stuff was invented during the Carthaginian Wars
shelf life is infinite
virtually indestructible
no can opener needed
ready to eat
also useful for keeping tables from wobbling
if you get hungry enough, you'll eat anything
I find it to be palatable, have about 30 cans in stock, plus another pile of Turkey Spam. At a price of $1.50 for a 12 oz can, stock up. _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 6:33 am Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
kpeavey wrote:
Spam=SPiced hAM
stuff was invented during the Carthaginian Wars
shelf life is infinite
virtually indestructible
no can opener needed
ready to eat
also useful for keeping tables from wobbling
if you get hungry enough, you'll eat anything
I find it to be palatable, have about 30 cans in stock, plus another pile of Turkey Spam. At a price of $1.50 for a 12 oz can, stock up.
I like it also, so does the family. Has an interesting history. Went from 2.00 a can here to 2.24 (16 oz.)
Joined: Sep 03, 2007 Posts: 598 Location: Sunny Virginia, USA
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
idiom wrote:
What do tins of corned beef cost in the states?
$7.28 at Sam's Club for 4 cans ($1.82 per can). _________________ When somebody makes a statement you don't understand, don't tell him he's crazy. Ask him what he means. -- Otto Harkaman, Space Viking
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 1:13 pm Post subject: Breathtaking Demonstration of CPI Hedonic Adjustments
As government-banker inflation destroys their standard of living, citizens switch to less-expensive spam (whose price itself is up 7%). Will the textbooks at government schools be updated with this classic example of the important economic phenomenon?
Joined: Oct 12, 2004 Posts: 592 Location: The Pit of Despair
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
What the article doesn't mention is whether people are using the additional Spam they are purchasing to stock up their bunkers because they have foreseen an apocalyptic future....
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
startswithearthquakes wrote:
It's a mixture of cats, dogs, fish, people, ants, chickens, whale penis, horse, penguins, armadillo, And ... Ham ...
I love Spam. More Spam is consumed in Hawaii than any other state in the U.S. Hawaiians’ favorite dish is Musubi, a ready-to-eat Spam snack that resembles a large piece of nigiri sushi.
But it's not organic. I've managed to reverse-engineer Dinty Moore beef stew and have been pressure canning my own organic version into pint jars for the End-Times. It'll be a challenge finding grass-fed whale penis _________________ ree rah rip ram. sunofabitch godamn. hidey didey christ almighty. rah rah crap
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: Goodbye prime rib, hello Spam
Hawaiian's demand for Spam stems from WWII where it was brought in in large volume to service the needs of the servicemen. The sailors and soldiers would trade it with the indigenous local personnell for produce, goods and services. Being that it stored well, packed tightly for shipping, and was inexpensive, it become popular and remains so to this day. Many restaurants offer Spam in a variety of dishes. With it's limited land area, livestock can be expensive to raise in Hawaii. A great deal of meat must be shipped in from the continent. Spam makes for a cheap easy readily available meat alternative.
mattduke wrote:
Quote:
As government-banker inflation destroys their standard of living, citizens switch to less-expensive spam (whose price itself is up 7%).
I shop at Walmart for groceries. The price beats every other store in the area, they have a bigger selection, and usually have the product I need in stock, although lately this has not necessarily been the case. Spam is $2 for 12 oz, while the cloned Wal-mart Luncheon Meat is $1.50. Thw store brand works out to $2/pound. While I can find meat for sale for less than $2/pound, it requires cold storage or processing for storage (canning/drying). Chicken livers is a buck a pound. Ground beef can be had for $1.50-1.75/pound. Ground Turkey for a buck a pound, but it puts me to sleep. Beef liver is $1.50/pound. Hey, I like innerds as much as the next guy but finding the time to pressure can 14 pounds of liver has been a challenge of late. Spam is ready to stock, ready to eat, ready to open. It slices, dices, handles any kitchen crisis. A key to its success is its versatility. Raw Spam has already been cooked. The flavor and texture is consistent throughout. One can is the same as the next. It can be used as a substitute for any meat out there. MASH had an episode where the "chef" prepared an entree using Spam, if you recall...the Spam Lamb
My great-grandmother had several acres of blueberries, we'd spend the end of our summer vacation picking them to earn our school clothes money. One concoction that my grandmother would make for us to take out to the field for lunch was Spamiches. Spam, hard boiled egg and onion, run through the hand cranked grinder, add mayonnaise, salt and pepper, 2 slices of bread and you have something that will stick to your ribs all day.
Monty Python Spam sketch
Spam clip _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
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ree rah rip ram. sunofabitch godamn. hidey didey christ almighty. rah rah crap 
