Airport hospitality operator OTG is giving Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport travelers a head start on one of this summer's most talked-about fair foods: the SPAM® Dog, a hot dog-format riff on the iconic canned meat from Hormel Foods. The limited-time collaboration runs through the second week of September, or while supplies last, across three OTG-operated restaurants in Terminal 1 — positioning the airport itself as a culinary preview venue ahead of the Minnesota State Fair's August 27 opening.
The Menu
OTG chefs developed three distinct preparations exclusive to the airport partnership. Custom Burger (near Gates G1-6 and G18) serves a State Style Fair-Battered SPAM® Dog with pineapple ketchup. Shoyu, at the entrance to Concourse G, features a wok-fried jasmine rice dish with diced SPAM® Dog, egg, peas, carrots, green onion, togarashi, and Maggi glaze. Mill City Tavern (near Gate G18) rounds out the lineup with a grilled SPAM® Dog glazed in gochujang, topped with scallion slaw and a Thai peanut drizzle, served with fries. Each restaurant will carry limited-time signage throughout the run.
Airport F&B as Brand Platform
The partnership reflects a broader shift in airport food and beverage strategy, where operators increasingly leverage high-traffic transit venues to stage brand launches and regional culinary moments. OTG CEO Matt King framed the collaboration as an extension of the company's core approach: "Partnering with the SPAM® brand to bring these creations to MSP allows travelers to enjoy an authentic taste of Minnesota before they even reach the State Fair."
For Hormel, the activation is a natural extension of the SPAM® brand's deep Minnesota identity. The company has been headquartered in Austin, Minnesota since 1891, and the SPAM® product itself has been on shelves since 1937 — long enough for Austin to earn the nickname "SPAM™ Town USA." Haley Eggum, brand manager for the SPAM® Brand, noted that the OTG chefs' dishes "celebrate the versatility of the SPAM® brand while giving travelers a sneak peek at the SPAM® Dog before it heads to the Minnesota State Fair."
The move also signals how CPG brands with strong regional equity are finding value in hospitality partnerships to drive trial and cultural relevance beyond traditional retail and foodservice channels. By placing an unreleased product in a captive, high-visibility airport environment — and tying it to the anticipation of a beloved state fair — Hormel creates a word-of-mouth moment that no shelf placement can replicate. For operators like OTG, such collaborations provide differentiated, story-driven menu content that sets airport dining apart from generic concession fare. As reported by Food & Beverage Magazine, brand-restaurant collaborations are increasingly a vehicle for driving consumer engagement at the point of experience.
At the fair itself, the SPAM® Dog will be available at The SPAM® Truck, located south of the Grandstand Building under the Grandstand Ramp, from August 27 through September 7.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
