Beyond the latte: The unstoppable spread of pumpkin spice

An assortment of pumpkin spice offerings are pictured.

Since introducing the drink 20 years ago, Starbucks has sold more than 600 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes — launching a nutmeg, cinnamon and clove flavored trend across America.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) may be viewed as a staple of the “basic girl,” but it’s clear the scent and flavor profile have a much broader appeal than its haters want to admit. With pumpkin spice products around every corner, consumers will be hard-pressed not to catch a whiff of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove on the air everywhere once September hits.

The irresistible aroma isn’t just wafting in from coffee shops and latte cups anymore; it’s coming from cereal bowls, the snack aisle, and, yes, even deodorant.

A Taste of Autumn for Coffee Drinkers

Pumpkin spice has come to be associated with flannels, Ugg boots, and infinity scarves, but the truth is this iconic flavor has been around for longer than any of those trends. McCormick introduced the spice blend as an easy way to mix the ingredients for pumpkin pie in 1934.

However, the dominance of pumpkin spice as an iconic fall trend began its meteoric rise when Starbucks released the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. In the two decades since introducing the fall staple beverage, Starbucks sales prove the drink’s popularity and cultural ubiquity are impossible to ignore.

According to a 2021 data analysis, nearly 150,000 Americans search for the term “pumpkin spice latte” each September, the month that sees the most searches for the phrase.

The data suggests that a chill in the air and the crunch of leaves underfoot aren’t a requirement, either. The beverage is just as popular in chilly locales like Minneapolis, home of the most “PSL” searches each year, as it is in hotter cities like Miami and Atlanta, which rank no. 2 and no. 3 for PSL searches.

Whether these coffee lovers are searching for recipes to create DIY pumpkin-flavored beverages from their favorite java or just anxiously awaiting the drop of Starbucks’ fall menu, one thing is clear: once Labor Day rolls around, this country is ready for pumpkin spice in all the things.

From Starbucks to

Everywhere

Like all good trends, the pumpkin spice craze has spread, making the jump from pies to lattes to everything else imaginable. Coffee competitors like Dunkin’, Krispy Kreme, and 7-Eleven release their own sweater-weather menus earlier each year to keep up with the fall coffee mania.

The allure of pumpkin spice extends well beyond the coffee cup. With the heat of summer still hanging in the air through August and September, some pumpkin lovers prefer to slake their thirst with pumpkin beer, which hits the shelves as early as August.

Feeling hungry? There’s hardly a snack that can’t be found in pumpkin spice form, with popular brands like Nabisco (Oreos), Hostess (Twinkies, Cupcakes), and Jell-O all tossing their hats into this crowded arena.

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Recent years have brought consumers Pumpkin Spice Spam, Pumpkin Spice Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and Pumpkin Spice Cup Noodles. These significant departures from the sweet, pie-like palate of the previously mentioned snacks draw far more raised eyebrows than their sugary counterparts.

Pumpkin in The Bath and Beyond

Similarly, non-food pumpkin spice products range from logical and welcome to bizarre and unnecessary.

White Barn’s Pumpkin Spice Latte candle makes sense, After all, who wouldn’t want to bask in this quintessentially fall scent when it’s time to welcome the changing seasons? The truly PSL-obsessed can also carry the aroma of their favorite beverage with them all day by wearing pumpkin spice deodorant, lotion, and beard oil after washing up with soap and shampoo of the same ilk.

Just like the pumpkin-flavored food market, however, the catalog of home goods available in this popular scent has barrelled well past the point of common sense. In 2022, Hefty released limited-edition Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice trash bags so true enthusiasts could “[give] their garbage the cozy fall upgrade they never knew they needed.” While the company hasn’t announced when these bags will return for 2023, they’re available for nearly a 10x markup from resellers on eBay.

Psl’s 2023 Arrival in a Saturated Market

Pumpkin Spice Lattes will return to Starbucks before the end of August 2023, although the official release date has yet to be confirmed. Drowning as they are in pumpkin spice hot cocoa, cookies, and air freshener, will consumers still greet the Starbucks fall menu with enthusiasm?

Data suggests they will; in 2022, PSL release week earned the coffee giant its best sales week of all time.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.

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