Kiger's Notebook

FTC OKs 'early termination' of Hormel/ Skippy deal

It looks like the Hormel folks in Spamtown USA might be able start spreading the peanut butter goodness in the near future.

Remember the deal where Austin-based Hormel made a deal with Unilever to buy the Skippy peanut butter brand for $700 million?

Well, the Federal Trade Commission granted Hormel's request for "early termination" this week. In case, like myself, you aren't sure what 'early termination' means, here's what that means:

Any person filing an HSR form may request that the waiting period be terminated before the statutory period expires. Such a request for "early termination" will be granted only after compliance with the rules and if both the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Antitrust Division have completed their review and determined not to take any enforcement action during the waiting period. In some instances, after a Request for Additional Information and Documentary Material has been issued, the investigating agency will determine that no further action is necessary and terminate the waiting period before full compliance with the Second Request is made.

So it sounds like a good thing. The deal has been given the green light to speed ahead.

Can the new peanut butter favored Spam be far away? Heh.

75-year-old Spam rings a bell

Spam and the Big Apple = a tasty combo?

Hormel Foods CEO Jeffrey Ettinger made the trip from Austin to New York City Tuesday to mark the 75th anniversary bring ringing the closing bell for the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Here's a quick vid from CNN chatting with Ettinger. He dodges the question Hillshire Farms pretty smoothly and gives a shout out for Austin, "the town that Spam built."  

 And here's a pic of the Spam-flavored lip balm...just because that product still amuses me. Heh.

Spam Lip Glaze? Yes, this exists

Here is a taste from my column in today's paper. I lead off with a Hormel product that I can imagine Miss Piggy using.

Check out the print edition for more details, including how well such a lip balm is selling.

The art is from ThinkGeek.Com.

Pucker up with pork-flavored lips.

Austin's Hormel Foods, known for its iconic Spam canned pork, rolled out Spam Lip Glaze balm in early August.

For between $1.95 to $2.99 a tube, fans of Minnesota's favorite canned meat can keep their lips soft and meaty with a Spam-flavored balm.

"Rubbing meat on your face is a good way to get noticed, but probably for all the wrong reasons. But what if you do it because you really want to taste meat, but not eat it? Well, grab yourself some Spam Lip Glaze and you can rub the flavor of meat on your lips without getting weird stares from having bacon hanging from your cheeks."

That's how ThinkGeek.Com describes the latest quirky product that Hormel has branded with the Spam logo.