SPAM Brand Sending ‘Convoy Of Hope’ to Maui

(ABC 6 NEWS) – Austin based Hormel Foods is looking to lend a helping hand to Maui, the island devastated by a wildfire.

Hawaii consumes more SPAM products than any other state, eight million cans a year. SPAM is a little can of hope, it’s always been there for Hawaiians and Hormel is working with a humanitarian organization called ‘The Convoy of Hope’ to get even more SPAM to the island.

The City of Austin gets it nickname from a place that’s right in the heart of the city. When you walk through the front doors of the SPAM Museum, you travel around the world and see its impact.

But it’s the little speck of Hawaii on a map that leaves a huge mark.

“They are our Ohana. They are truly our family, our friends, they bring the SPAM Brand to life,” Jennesa Kinscher, senior brand manager for the SPAM Brand said.

Hawaiians go all out for their way of life. They love to ride the wave, celebrating SPAM by hosting a celebration for the canned meat called SPAM JAM and creating unique dishes such as Spam Wontons and Spam Musubi.

The brand became a household name during World War II. The iconic meat was sent to soldiers on the frontlines, many of whom were fighting in the Pacific.

Spam cemented itself in the area and never left.

“Now is our time to let our Ohana know that we see them, we love them, we’re supporting them,” Kinscher said. “We need to come together for Maui it’s going to take years for them to rebuild.”

“What we’re giving them is hope. Hope that they can make it through this catastrophe that they’re currently living through,” Ethan Forhetz, national spokesperson for Convoy of Hope said.

Hormel Foods has been partnering with Convoy of Hope for eight years.

They have worked together to respond to other natural disasters throughout the country.

“Food is something that we all need on a daily basis, as they supply that to us, especially food that will last and it doesn’t have to be refrigerated, that’s key in responding to these types of disasters,” Forhetz said.

Convoy of Hope currently has team on the ground in Maui.

They’re delivering cans of SPAM to people from Hormel along with water and hygiene products to help make life easier for people.

“We’re brothers and sisters, the way I see it, we’re in this together and we support them,” Forhetz said.

The next time you visit the SPAM Museum. Sure you’ll notice the cans and the memorabilia, but behind all of that are the people that work to be there for people who need them most.

“When you think about food, you think about family. We will nurture these relationships with our fans and our family through the SPAM brand,” Kinscher said.

For more ways to help Maui, visit this link.

In the near future, Hormel Foods will start selling shirts featuring a specialized SPAM graphic, with 100% of the profits planned to go toward relief efforts in Maui. You can see a preview of that graphic below.

Those will be available to purchase on their website.