PUMPKIN SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE: THE EVOLUTION OF THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

As all the shades of auburn begin to seep into the leaves and a subtle chill begins to creep along the breeze, so we see the return of the iconic autumn staple, the pumpkin spice latte. With its rich flavours and inescapable advertising, the beverage certainly divides opinion. A cup of comfort or simply a cultural craze? Let’s explore the history, the appeal, and the legacy of the pumpkin spice latte.
 
Pumpkins have a long history, with Native Americans cultivating the vegetable for around 7,500 years. The indigenous people appreciated the pumpkin as a multi-purpose powerhouse, offering nutrition, medicinal properties, and even uses as a bowl or storage container.
 
When European colonisers settled in the New World, they incorporated pumpkin into their diets, sweetening it to create desserts and sowing the seeds of the flavour we know today. The first known record of pumpkin spice is in a 1796 cookbook where Amelia Simmons combined cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Over time the flavour evolved and almost 200 autumns later, in the 1950s and 60s, spice manufacturers McCormick and Company marketed the first pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice mixes.
 
But Pumpkin Spice’s big break ultimately came in 2003 when Starbucks noticed the gaping pumpkin-shaped hole in the coffee industry. After a period of deliberation and experimentation, the flavour was refined and the Pumpkin Spice Latte became an instant success with the coffee-chain struggling to keep up with the demand.
 
It is safe to say the Pumpkin Spice Latte has established itself as a modern classic, or even a new tradition, maintaining its popularity to this day, generating an estimate of $500 million (£377 million) annually for Starbucks alone. But what exactly made the flavour such a hit?
 
Well for starters, the signature flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove are deeply nostalgic, associated with home, warmth, and safety. Our sense of taste and smell are closely linked to the brain’s centres of emotion and memory.
 
Research on the psychological phenomenon named the Proust effect has found that nostalgia evoked by scents or flavours has countless psychological benefits such as “enhanced self-esteem, feelings of social connectedness, and deeper meaning in life.” (Green et al. 2023). What this means is that while we are enjoying a Pumpkin Spice Latte, we are reminded of cosy Autumn memories which enhance our experience and provide a sense of comforting security.
 
Another factor which contributes to the beverage’s mania is its limited annual availability. As a seasonal drink, the Pumpkin Spice Latter has become intrinsically linked to Autumn, almost a harvest ritual. As the season approaches, there is a sense of building anticipation which causes an explosion on the first day of its annual release, with some locations reporting a 45% increase in foot traffic on the day of the Pumpkin Spice Latte’s return. In 2022, an estimated 3,000 tweets a day referenced the beloved drink during autumn.
 
There is no denying that the Pumpkin Spice Latte provides a masterclass in marketing. Starbucks engineered a consistent cycle of consumer performance, selling not only flavour but an identity and creating a seasonal marker that brings customers back each year.
 
But is the Pumpkin Spice Latte here to stay? Flavourist Marie Wright says yes. Although delicious flavours such as gingerbread and peppermint have seen a recent increase in popularity, they have a long way to go before reaching anywhere near Pumpkin Spice Latte levels. Wright suggests that other flavours simply don’t have enough of a link to our childhood memories, but she also knows how the mighty can fall, and recalls the decline in popularity of the hazelnut latte which reigned in the 1990s, dethroned by the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
 
However, the Pumpkin Spice Latte stands steady, at least for now. Carrying just as many feelings as flavours, the drink will continue to endure through the Autumn months, providing all the caffeine and comfort needed to make it through the colder days. Below the cream and spices hides a feeling of belonging, one that is here to stay.

• autumn
• entertainment
• latte
• pumpkin spice