CJ Cheiljedang releases Spam product made of chicken breast

[Courtesy of CJ Cheiljedang]

SEOUL -- South Korea's major food maker CJ Cheiljedang has released a new Spam product made of chicken breast targeting consumers who favor high protein, low-calorie foods. The canned food brand, currently available in 48 countries, is originally made using pork. 
 
The canned pork brand, made by American food processing company Hormel Foods, is widely consumed in South Korea. According to data released by CJ Cheiljedang, more than 1.9 billion 200-gram (0.4 pounds) Spam products were sold in the country as of 2022. The South Korean company in charge of domestic Spam production said the average number of Spam eaten by each South Korean was 40.
 
Canned pork was first introduced during the Korean War (1950~1953) when the United States' armed forces fought alongside South Korea to repel North Korea's invasion. Korean-style spicy stew "Budae Jjigae" was created using canned ham and other canned U.S. military rations that were smuggled out of bases. The stew, consisting of ham, sausages, baked beans, and Kimchi, a traditional fermented vegetable dish, was picked as the favorite dish among Chinese tourists in a survey conducted in 2016.
 
The chicken breast Spam was released on October 26, CJ Cheiljedang said. The new product has about 17 grams of protein per 100 grams. The food maker said it contains a small amount of calories and fat. To remove the fishy taste of chicken, the food item was made through a low-temperature aging process for more than 13 hours.
 
CJ Cheiljedang started domestic production of the canned pork brand in 1987. The subsidiary of South Korea's food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group estimates the cumulative sales of the brand will surpass 2.1 billion by the end of 2023.