Why does Hawaii love Spam so much? 

Hawaii’s love affair with Spam is an integral part of its history and stronger than ever, with the annual Wakiki Spam Jam celebrating its 21st edition.

The Spam Jam is an entire event dedicated to the processed pork meat in a can, and will unravel as a block party on Saturday, April 26, from 4pm to 10pm on Kalakaua Avenue in Honolulu.

It is ‘a cultural tradition in Hawaii, and rated as one of the top annual food festivals in Hawaii’, according to its website.

Participating restaurants will serve dishes starring Spam of a wide variety, from popular musubis which are like Spam sushi, to unexpected creations like Spam musubi butter mochi.

‘Each place in the world seems to have its signature food festival,’ states the event’s site.

‘You may have heard about tomatoes, ribs, onions or pumpkins, but you have never seen anything like this, a SPAM festival!’

Nearly seven million cans of Spam – introduced by Minnesota-based Hormel Foods in 1937 – are consumed in Hawaii every year.

‘More SPAM is consumed per person in Hawaii than in any other state in the United States,’ according to the event organizers.

How did Hawaii become obsessed with Spam?

Four years after Spam was invented, the US entered World War II. Hormel sent 100million pounds of Spam to American troops, many who were based in Hawaii.

Spam became a big hit because it was packed with flavor and protein, was not expensive and had a long shelf life. Spam is good for up to five years after its manufacture date, according to its maker.

‘It kept well over time. It was very versatile,’ Scott Gamble, vice president of LH Gamble Company which supplies Spam to the entire state, told USA Today.

‘There’s a lot of limitations with Hawaii being so separate from the rest of the U.S. when it comes to food preservation.’

Native Hawaiians began eating Spam too, and it remained on the island even after the war ended.

Today, many Hawaiians have a somewhat love-hate relationship with the staple. It is tasty and a part of the state’s identity, but is also unhealthy and has contributed to the local obesity problem.

Undeniable too is that Spam only arrived in Hawaii because of American imperialism.

But for visitors and locals alike, it’s hard to avoid eating Spam in one form or another, whether with eggs and rice for breakfast or in a musubi. Spam is so adored that since 2021, it has even enjoyed National Spam Musubi Day every August 8.

‘It is such an iconic item,’ Gamble said.

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