Last month, one of Maui’s most famous business chains, Bob Abramo’s Big Bites convenience stores announced that it was partnering with Manimal, one of Lahaina’s most iconic brands, to offer one on the most unique energy products ever conceived, “Turbo Ham.” The energy drink company said that it had devised a way to infuse one of Hawaii’s favorite meats with its popular drink. Now Turbo ham is set to make its debut, exclusively at Big Bites stores starting next week. However, many are questioning the safety of the energy-infused meat, and the treatment of the animals used in the production process.
If the idea of eating a piece of Manimal laced ham sounds strange to you, you’re not alone. Since the company leaked a picture of Turbo Ham in its packaging, many believed it was a joke, or a publicity stunt. Even Manimal CEO Spencer Kane had his doubts about the product when it was first pitched, but after seeing how the process would work, and looking at sales predictions, he says he became a believer.
“Our product innovation team is second to none,” says Kane. “Like many I was skeptical when presented with the idea at first. I thought there was no way people would eat bright yellow or red ham, but then they explained that only the energy producing parts of Manimal would be infused into the meat, not the color. When they said we’d be partnering with Bob Abramo I was sold. Everyone knows that Bob is a meat genius. He is constantly pushing the envelope and our preconceived notions about lunch meat. With Manimal fueling that carnivorous creativity, I knew we’d come up with something special. I just didn’t know how special it would be. Turbo Ham is not your parents lunch meat. It’s the single greatest culinary innovation of our lifetime. Eat a couple of thin slices on a sandwich to help you get over that midday hump, or a big slab in the morning for all day energy. With Turbo Ham, our customers can finally eat and drink energy.”
Some however do not share Kane’s enthusiasm over Turbo Ham. Many remember last year’s partnership with SSHAM and all the problems surrounding SSHAM SLAM. The instability of the product left hundreds staring at a foul smelling slurry when they opened the can. The Manimal infused SSHAM was pulled off the shelf permanently only months after its debut.
In addition, there are serious questions surrounding the caffeine, turine, and guarana levels in the Manimal infused meat, and concerns over the treatment of the pigs used to make Turbo Ham. The Lahaina Conservation Association (LCA) has publicly denounced the product saying in a statement: “Force feeding pigs nothing but Manimal for 30 days is inhumane, and causes many substantial health and behavioral problems. Our investigation has uncovered numerous jittery, temperamental, and overstimulated animals, prone to fence climbing, extreme mud wallowing, and prolonged squealing. In some cases animals have been seen rolling excessively after a Manimal feeding or trying to do flips, something extremely dangerous to a 300lb+ animal. Therefore we must urge the public not to consume Turbo Ham, and call upon the appropriate government agencies to shut down this cruel operation.”
Brandi Essen, Operations Manager of Abramo Holdings LLC disputes the allegations of inhumane treatment, saying all Abramo farms comply with government regulations and are inspected regularly. She says that happy pigs make better tasting meat, and the pigs used to make Turbo Ham are among the happiest on the island. Essen claims that any behavioral changes in the pigs is due to the excess energy that a Manimal only diet provides. In addition, she says that the initial response over Turbo Ham has been so great that the company is planning on expanding into other Manimal charged products.
“Just like in people, Manimal gives these pigs some get-up-and-go, but I wouldn’t call running and jumping cruel. These pigs just have a little more pep than usual, which is exactly the point. There has to be a certain baseline level of Manimal in the animals for the infusion process to work correctly, and work it does! Turbo Ham is for anyone who’d like to chew their energy, and from the way the phone won’t stop ringing, that’s a lot of us. We’ve had so many people wanting to reserve a pack that our biggest concern right now is meeting demand.
In fact the demand has been so overwhelming that we’re already working on a new line of infused meat, Jerky Alert. While Turbo Ham keeps you powered all day, Jerky Alert is designed for those specific occasions you need just a little boost to help keep you awake. Whether you’re a student pulling an all-nighter for exams, a delivery driver working an extra shift, or a new parent exhausted from getting up all night, one bite of Jerky Alert can put you back in the game. It’s never been easier to eat yourself awake.”
