Iconic SPAM® brand welcomed thousands of visitors from more than 60 countries to its historic museum in 2022
AUSTIN, Minn., May 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Every year, tens of thousands of people from around the world travel to southeastern Minnesota with one particular destination in mind: the SPAM® Museum. And today, on International Museum Day, the museum and its team of SPAMbassadors™ are recognizing the extent of its global appeal.
The SPAM® Museum averages more than 100,000 visitors annually, a considerable portion of whom hail from outside the United States. Last year, SPAM® fans from over 60 countries made the pilgrimage to Austin, Minn., to pay homage to the world-famous brand they love. In the last month alone, the museum welcomed visitors from Canada, Togo, the Philippines, England, Brazil, South Africa, Belgium, France, Thailand, Germany, Belize, India and Japan.
And that appeal is substantial. The museum averages more than 100,000 visitors annually, a considerable portion of whom hail from outside the United States. Last year, SPAM® fans from over 60 countries made the pilgrimage to Austin, Minn., to pay homage to the world-famous brand they love. In the last month alone, the museum welcomed visitors from Canada, Togo, the Philippines, England, Brazil, South Africa, Belgium, France, Thailand, Germany, Belize, India and Japan.
“It’s always an honor to welcome visitors from all over the world,” said Savile Lord, manager of the SPAM® Museum, Hormel Foods. “A lot of people seem go out of their way to get here. We even have people that change travel plans on the spot once they realize the SPAM® Museum is within driving distance. There’s no museum in the world quite like it.”
The SPAM® Museum has plenty to offer its international and domestic visitors alike. The Global Marketplace exhibit in particular puts forth a snapshot of what the SPAM® brand means to cultures around the world, spotlighting places like South Korea, second only to the United States in consumption of SPAM® products. Museum guests are invited to take a journey around the world to learn more about how various countries embrace the SPAM® brand within their respective cultures and cuisines.
The museum also features several fun activities for visitors, including an interactive SPAM® canning game that allows participants to compete against family and friends while learning how the product is made. There are also six touch screens prominently displayed at the center of the museum, where guests can scroll through and discover a wide variety of intriguing SPAM® recipes, which they can then email to themselves to try out in their own kitchens.
Visitors of the museum can purchase their favorite SPAM® brand souvenirs at the on-site gift shop, with options ranging from T-shirts and hats to wine tumblers and beach towels, not to mention all 11 varieties of SPAM® products.
“Bringing home SPAM® brand swag and a new recipe is the perfect way for our visitors to bring a close to their memorable experience. Plus, it gives them something to show off to their family and friends,” Lord said. “There’s something for everyone here. All are welcome.”
To explore the SPAM® Shop from afar, visit https://store.spam.com.
ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, WHOLLY®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.
SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation
