People are only just discovering the surprising story behind SPAM, the famous canned meat product that has been around for decades. First released in 1937 by Minnesota-based Hormel Foods, SPAM is made from pork, water, salt, potato starch, sugar and sodium nitrate.

Although it was initially met with some hesitation, SPAM became hugely popular during World War II because fresh meat was difficult to transport to soldiers. By the end of the war, the military was buying more than 150 million pounds of the product, which was also introduced to places including Hawaii, Guam, Okinawa and the Philippines.

For years, people have come up with their own theories about what the name “SPAM” means. Some have jokingly claimed it stands for phrases such as “Salt Preserves Any Meat” or “Special Pressed American Meat,” but these explanations are not the real origin of the name.

According to the article, the name was created during a naming contest by Ken Digneau, the brother of a Hormel executive, who reportedly received $100 for the winning name. Rather than being an acronym, SPAM is described as a shortened combination of “spiced ham.”