MILWAUKEE — Love it, hate it or laugh at it — at least it’s relatively inexpensive. Sales of much- maligned Spam are rising as consumers turn more to lunchmeats and other lower-cost foods to extend their food dollars.
What was once cheeky and the satire target of Monty Python (“Spamalot”) is selling 10.6 percent better in the 12-week period ended May 3, compared with a year earlier.
Food prices are increasing faster than they’ve risen since 1990, at 4 percent in the U.S. last year, according to the Agriculture Department. Staples such as white bread (13 percent) and peanut butter (9 percent) are rising even faster. Even Spam’s 12-ounce can costs about $2.62, up 7 percent from last year.
Kimberly Quan, a mom of three from outside San Francisco, has been feeding her family more Spam in the past six months. Her favorite dish? Spam and macaroni and cheese — with organic veggies on the side.
“It balances out,” she said. The Associated Press; AP photo
