Uncovering the Mysterious History of Spalding Bacon

Bacon is a breakfast staple loved by many. But when you reach for a pack of bacon at the grocery store you may notice an unfamiliar name – Spalding. This company is better known for manufacturing sports equipment and balls, so how did they end up making bacon?

I decided to dig into the history of this little-known bacon brand to uncover its origins Keep reading to learn all about how Spalding got into the meat industry, what their bacon is like, and where you can find this unusual pork product.

A Sporting Brand Breaks Into Bacon

The Spalding name first rose to prominence in the late 1800s for sports equipment. In 1876, baseball player Albert Spalding founded the A.G. Spalding company in Chicago to bring innovation to sports manufacturing.

Spalding’s company started by improving production of baseballs and bats. But they quickly expanded into other sports like golf, tennis, and football. By the early 1900s, Spalding dominated as a leading athletic outfitter making everything from sportswear to gymnastic gear.

During World War II, Spalding even pivoted to help the war effort. They joined forces with other companies to form the New England Small Arms Corporation, which manufactured rifles for the U.S. Army.

So when did this sports juggernaut break into the meat industry? No one knows for sure, but speculation is that Spalding entered the bacon market sometime in the 1970s or 1980s. As a huge company with distribution networks in place, Spalding likely saw bacon as a profitable new revenue stream.

Nowadays, Spalding still makes some sporting equipment. But they seem more focused on food products like eggs, chicken, turkey, and of course, bacon.

Inside the Spalding Bacon Making Process

Spalding is tight-lipped about how they make their bacon. But we can make educated guesses based on traditional bacon production:

• Step 1) Spalding sources fresh pork bellies from hog processing plants. The skinless bellies get sent to their factory.

• Step 2) The pork bellies are cured in a brine solution with water, salt, spices, and sodium nitrite. This cures the meat while adding flavor.

• Step 3) Next, the bacon is cold smoked for hours using smoke generators. This gives it a smoky taste without cooking it.

• Step 4) Finally, the bacon is sliced, packaged, and sent to distributors and grocery stores.

Spalding doesn’t seem to use preservatives or artificial ingredients in their cure based on labels. But without seeing their process first-hand, we can’t say for certain how they produce bacon from start to finish.

Spalding Bacon Reviews Are Mixed

So who actually buys Spalding bacon? Mainly Canadians, it appears. Spalding pops up at chains like Giant Tiger, Metro, and Food Basics in Canada far more than in the U.S.

As for reviews, Spalding bacon gets mixed feedback. Some praise its value and pleasantly smoky maple taste. But others claim the bacon looks skimpy and lacks quality compared to rival brands.

One Reddit user even called Spalding “literal dog food” next to thicker, artisanal bacon. Other complaints cite lack of meat on slices and an overly hard texture when cooked.

Of course, taste is subjective. The consensus is that Spalding makes average, mass-market bacon – not a gourmet product. For an affordable bacon fix, Spalding satisfies based on reviews. But bacon aficionados may want something more premium.

The Takeaway: A Budget-Friendly Bacon Option

Spalding isn’t fancy, hand-crafted bacon by any means. But for shoppers wanting a quick pork fix on a budget, it delivers on basic bacon flavor for under $5 a pack.

Still, Spalding feels out of place next to veteran bacon brands like Oscar Mayer and Hormel. The company’s sports history makes their shift to pork peculiar. While not the best tasting, Spalding remains an interesting bacon choice if you see it at the store.

Next time you shop, keep an eye out for the Spalding name by the bacon. This athletic brand taking a page from the pork playbook could cure your breakfast blues.