SPAM partners with Kamea Hadar to release Hawai‘i special edition collectors can
The SPAM brand team commissioned world-renowned artist and Hawai‘i native Kamea Hadar for the design of a special new collectors can for Maui fire support, according to a press release from the organization.
The can—which features the yellow hibiscus, the Hawai‘i State Flower, and the island of Maui’s flower, the lokelani rose, in Hadar’s signature style—is now available at grocery retailers throughout Hawai‘i, and at the world-famous SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota, and at store. spam.com while supplies last.
“We wanted to show our fans in Hawai‘i how much we appreciate their love,” said Jennesa Kinscher, senior manager of the SPAM brand. “We couldn’t think of a better way to showcase this connection than partnering with a talented local artist to transform our iconic can to reflect the beautiful relationship between the SPAM brand and Hawai‘i. We are so lucky that our local team was able to connect us with Kamea. He is an incredible artist with an authentic connection to the brand, and it’s been amazing to witness his vision for these collectors cans to come to life.”
Hadar, whose large-scale murals and installations can be found in cities around the world, wanted his design to stay true to the classic look of the SPAM brand while also implementing a custom, Hawaiian twist.
“The SPAM brand is so intertwined in our culture and upbringing here in Hawai‘i,” Hadar said. “Whether it’s SPAM musubi, fried rice, or many other local dishes, these flavors are inseparable from island culture, so it’s an honor to use creativity and art to highlight the special tie we have with the SPAM brand.”
The front of the collectors can feature a yellow hibiscus, the state flower of Hawai‘i, alongside a red Lokelani rose, the official island flower of Maui. The Lokelani rose, shown in full bloom on the front of the can, was included to honor the heroic efforts of the people of Maui in response to the 2023 wildfires.
On the back of the can, the same rose is shown in budding form, pointing to the full revival of Maui that is soon to come. After the Maui wildfires first broke out, the makers of the SPAM brand responded with a donation of more than $1,000,000 in cash and product to the affected areas, including more than five truckloads of SPAM products—totaling over 264,000 cans—to help feed people in need.
The brand team also began selling “SPAM Brand Loves Maui” T-shirts in the wake of the wildfires, the proceeds from which sent an additional $170,000 cash donation to the Aloha United Way Fire Relief Fund to aid the recovery efforts in Maui.
In addition to in-store and online sales, Hadar has partnered with the 20th Annual Waikiki Spam Jam Festival to make the special edition can available to festival goers during the block party on April 27. The cans will also be made available through a special SPAM vending machine.
The vending machine will be set up in a different location every day the week leading up to the Waikiki Spam Jam Festival. Hadar will also release a special line of merchandise featuring the design he created for the collector’s edition can on his website at www. KameaHadar.com.
The SPAM brand team cherishes its special relationship with the people of Hawai‘i, a community that consumes more than 7 million cans of SPAM products every year, more than any other U.S. state, according to a press release from SPAM.
Hawai‘i’s love for the SPAM brand dates to World War II when the luncheon meat was served to GI’s. By the end of the war, SPAM products were adopted into local culture, with fried SPAM classic and rice becoming a popular meal.