>Most cured meat products are ways to preserve cheaper cuts of meat for a long time.

Which is neither here, nor there. We're a long from that being the only case, in italy, france, spain, etc. there are cured meat products that cost more than your house (well, close enough), as well as tons of excellent, well prepared, well aged, high quality cured meat.

"Pepperoni" is not that. It's the cured meat equivalent of spray cheese.