SPAM in Hawaii

Hawaii is, for many reasons, one of the most interesting places to visit in the United States. Its location as well as its history, culture and heritage set it apart from the mainland and make it a truly wonderful place to explore. In addition to the welcoming spirit of the people, fabulous landscape and excellent seafood, Hawaii is also known as the U.S. state with the highest per capita consumption of SPAM. Although the pork product was first produced in 1937 in Austin, Minnesota, it did not become a well known and popular food in Hawaii until World War II. Before the war, Hawaii was already home to the military’s Indo-Pacific Command with its main base at Pearl Harbor. But WWII brought a huge influx of American servicemembers to the base, and the military ranks swelled. An important aspect of facilitating the war effort and supporting the needs of the service personnel was ensuring that they were well fed at home and abroad. A major contributor, which helped feed the soldiers, was the Hormel Corporation. The company provided the U.S. military with thousands of tons of SPAM and other pork products, which went into military mess halls and field rations. These catering efforts had the indirect effect of creating brand awareness and a taste for the processed pork on the island well beyond the military gates. 

Post-war waves of immigration from places like Guam, South Korea and Japan, where SPAM was also eaten as a result of U.S. war activities, helped maintain and boost SPAM  consumption in Hawaii. Today, SPAM is available throughout the Hawaiian island chain in grocery stores, 7-Elevens, and even gas stations. There are a number of different ways to consume it, including frying it and eating it with rice or eggs. Another common way of consuming SPAM is by layering strips of it on white rice and wrapping it in seaweed to make a dish known as “SPAM Musubi”.

SPAM is celebrated annually at the Waikiki SPAM Jam Festival, which occurs every April. The one-day block party allows attendees to sample all manner of SPAM dishes, both traditional and avant garde. Visitors can also buy numerous crafts devoted to SPAM.

Koa Pancake House Menu, Honolulu, Hawaii

On a recent trip to Hawaii, I was able to see first-hand the omnipresence of SPAM. Visiting the military commissary on Joint Base Hickam in Honolulu, I saw several grocery shelves containing all twelve varieties of SPAM. Indeed, the shelves needed restocking due to the high level of SPAM sold in the shop. Normally one would only see all varieties of the pork product at the SPAM Museum or in the grocery stores of Austin, Minnesota, or online. No other grocery store in the United States sells all twelve types of SPAM. In every restaurant I ate, which ranged from a breakfast dinner and the local gas station to a seafood eatery, SPAM was on the menu. Offerings included SPAM Musubi, SPAM with eggs and rice, and SPAM as a side dish.