Spam Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More

New York Times, November 15, 2008 — The economy is in tatters and, for millions of people, the future is uncertain. But for some employees at the Hormel Foods Corporation plant here, times have never been better. They are working at a furious pace and piling up all the overtime they want.

The workers make Spam, perhaps the emblematic hard-times food in the American pantry.

Spam: The Ultimate Survivor†

Potted Meat Thrives for 71 Years -- During Both Boom and Bust

Advertising Age, June 16, 2008 — NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — By all rights, something should have happened to Spam the brand that a dose of sodium nitrite prevents from happening to Spam the product: It should have gone bad. Yet after 71 years on supermarket shelves, the king of potted meats has not just survived; it's thrived. In recent quarters, Spam has sported double-digit sales increases that have made some big headlines.

old brands, renewed appeal

BusinessWeek, December 22, 2004 — Yesterday's familiar products get a fresh marketing jolt as businesses realize reviving them is easier than launching unknown names