Pumpkin spice latte: A new twist on an old favorite

When Starbucks introduced the pumpkin spice latte to select test markets in the fall of 2003 it was an instant hit. Since then the PSL has inspired a deluge of products, and its appearance in coffeeshops has become a seasonal event. Step into an [American grocery store and you’ll find pumpkin spice dog food]( yogurt, [cookies, beer,]( candles, deodorant, [ice cream, seltzer,]( and yes, pie. The blend of warm spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice has become a trend-defying powerhouse, throwing an elbow to salted caramel, and stepping on elderflower’s delicate toes. It’s delicious, ubiquitous, and in many cases, eye-roll inducing—[pumpkin spice Spam, anyone]( How did the PSL become a phenomenon? Grab a latte and let’s talk. 🐦 [Tweet this!]( 🌐 [View this email on the web]( Sponsored by [Quartz Obsession] Pumpkin Spice Latte September 20, 2019 PSL me ASAP --------------------------------------------------------------- When Starbucks introduced the pumpkin spice latte to select test markets in the fall of 2003 it was an instant hit. Since then the PSL has inspired a deluge of products, and its appearance in coffeeshops has become a seasonal event. Step into an [American grocery store and you’ll find pumpkin spice dog food]( yogurt, [cookies, beer,]( candles, deodorant, [ice cream, seltzer,]( and yes, pie. The blend of warm spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice has become a trend-defying powerhouse, throwing an elbow to salted caramel, and stepping on elderflower’s delicate toes. It’s delicious, ubiquitous, and in many cases, eye-roll inducing—[pumpkin spice Spam, anyone]( How did the PSL become a phenomenon? Grab a latte and let’s talk. 🐦 [Tweet this!]( 🌐 [View this email on the web]( Reuters/Joel Boh By the digits [1:]( Rank of Oregon in PSL consumption by US state [49 and 50:]( Rank of Vermont and Maine [104.6k:]( People who follow [@TheRealPSL]( (verified account) on Twitter [424 million:]( PSLs Starbucks has sold worldwide since its 2003 debut [>50:]( Countries in which the Starbucks PSL is available [380:]( Calories in a grande PSL with 2% milk, 310 if you hold the whipped cream [180:]( Calories in a serving of Pumpkin Spice Spam [$600 million:]( Estimated worth of the “pumpkin spice industrial complex” in 2018 [<1%:]( Share of Starbucks annual revenue the PSL represents [1,811 lb (821 kg):]( Largest pumpkin on record, grown in Minnesota in 2010 Origin Story PSLease PSLease me --------------------------------------------------------------- If there is one person who can be credited with the invention of the pumpkin spice latte, it’s Peter Dukes. In the early 2000s, Dukes was the director of espresso at Starbucks, focusing on the American market. He and his team were responsible for creating new flavor profiles like the peppermint mocha and the eggnog latte, both popular seasonal drinks. In the search for a new drink for the fall of 2003, the espresso team turned to pumpkin. Testing involved alternating sips of espresso with nibbles of pumpkin pie to determine which notes from the dessert went best with the coffee. They created Pumpkin Spice Sauce—a thick syrup spiked with notes of with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg that gets mixed with shots of espresso and steamed milk to make a PSL. To finish, Dukes and the development crew topped the latte with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. The first week of test market sales told Dukes all he needed to know. “Back then, we would call store managers on the phone to see how a new beverage was doing, and you could hear the excitement in their voices,” [he said](. The PSL found its way to all US stores by the fall of 2004. Sponsored by Barilla Is the food on your plate sustainable for you and the planet? --------------------------------------------------------------- As the world gathers in New York for the 74th Annual UN General Assembly, join the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation (BCFN) and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) for an expert-led discussion about how the food industry should change to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.[Register here to join in-person on September 24th]( Giphy Quotable “We may be at peak spice.” —Samir Bhavnani of 1010data, [speaking to NBC News in 2017]( The way we 🍁 now As American as pumpkin pie --------------------------------------------------------------- In 2019, Starbucks rolled out the PSL on [Aug. 27]( nearly a month before the official start of autumn on Sept. 23. Dunkin’ Donuts started the season [even earlier](. Although [hand-wringing over PSL creep]( has recently become an August tradition, freaking out for spiced pumpkin confections is a long-standing American tradition. Pumpkins are native to North America, and colonial bakers invented the pumpkin custard pie we know today, in which pumpkin puree is mixed with eggs, sugar, and spices and baked in an open-faced pie crust. (British bakers tended to use slices of dried pumpkin more similar to an apple pie.) By the early 19th century, “pumpkin pie had become a cultural icon and a requirement for every Thanksgiving table. Odes to the pie were published in newspapers and ladies’ magazines, agricultural journals and children’s books,” [a Library of Congress blog post explains](. Once pumpkins could be processed, canned, and baked in large quantities, seasonal pie fever settled in. The Library of Congress lists a New York Times article from Sep. 14 1895 titled “[The Pie and its Devotees: The Season for Pumpkin and Cranberry at Hand]( And on Sep. 17, 1937 the New York Herald Tribune reported the exciting news: “Pumpkin Pie Season Opens Tomorrow When 7,000 Pies Go on Sale in 31 Retail Stores.” [Costco carries on that tradition today]( selling more than five million pumpkin pies each fall. AP Photo/Toby Talbot Fun fact! The Halloween tradition of carving [jack-o’-lanterns started in Ireland—with potatoes and turnips](. Pumpkins became the norm in the US in the mid-1800s, as they were bigger, and easier to carve. Have a friend who would enjoy our Obsession with Pumpkin Spice Latte? [ [Forward link to a friend](mailto:?subject=Thought you'd enjoy.&body=Read this Quartz Obsession email – to the email – Million-Dollar Question Is there actual pumpkin in a pumpkin spice latte? --------------------------------------------------------------- In 2015, [Starbucks added pumpkin to the Pumpkin Spice Sauce]( that gives a PSL its distinctive flavor, for the first time. What? A year earlier, blogger Vani Hari posted a [takedown of the PSL]( that went viral, calling it out for lacking real pumpkin, and pointing to various ingredients in the coffee drink she claimed were toxic. [Hari’s critiques are not based in science]( and she is not a nutritionist. This is not to say that a PSL is a health beverage—there are about 50 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce drink. The real question is whether “pumpkin spice” is widely understood as shorthand for “pumpkin pie spice,” or whether the name implies that there should be actual pumpkin in your coffee. Pumpkin pie spice blends have [been “ubiquitous”]( since the mid-20th century, and many of their ingredients are found in pumpkin pie recipes that date back a century or more. The concoction varies depending on the baker or manufacturer, but it almost always contains some combination of ginger, nutmeg, mace, cloves, cinnamon, or allspice. Whether or not you expected it to be there in the first place, every time you order a PSL you’re getting a miniscule amount of bonafide squash, and a lot of sugar, in every sip. take me down this 🐰 hole! Does pumpkin spice cause constipation? [Here’s the piece of investigative journalism]( you never knew you needed. Reuters/Dominic Ebenbichler Pop quiz What was one of the original names for the pumpkin spice latte? Fall Harvest LatteGrandma’s Pumpkin Pie LatteAutumn Leaves LatteJack-o’-Lantern Latte Correct. Incorrect. If your inbox doesn’t support this quiz, find the solution at bottom of email. Explain it Like I’m 5! What’s so special about a pumpkin spice latte? --------------------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin spice lovers are sometimes [shunned for being “basic,”]( but they’re not wrong about the underlying appeal of the warm, sweet, milky coffee drink. There are many factors that predispose us to love PSLs, most of them embedded deeply somewhere in our psyches. “Predictable novelty” is a good place to start. In an article for the [Huffington Post]( Catherine Franssen, neuroscience professor at Longwood University, says that the human brain is wired to take note of new things, which can trigger a fear and stress response. But when we can predict change, Franssen argues, the pre-frontal cortex can focus in on the fun of anticipation. Fall itself, as well as seasonal treats like apple cider or PSLs, are classic predictable novelties. While pie bakers in the early 20th century had to wait until fall for pumpkins, there’s no reason PSLs couldn’t be available year-round in the age of shelf-stable syrups and refrigeration. In making the PSL seasonal, Starbucks has encouraged us to crave it all the more—and there’s science to back it up. A [2013 study showed that participants who ate chocolate]( then deprived themselves of it for a week, enjoyed it more when they had it again than participants who ate as much chocolate as they wanted, and more than participants who were given no instructions about their chocolate consumption. Structured deprivation seems to temper what’s known as “hedonic adaptation,” wherein we come to enjoy things like chocolate, and PSLs, less and less over time. Watch this! Last Week Tonight with John Oliver takes on PSL creep. Or rather, takes on the media hysteria surrounding PSL creep. Giphy Poll Will you enjoy a PSL this fall? [Click here to vote]( Every day while they’re available.I’ll drink one. Ok, two.Uh, I’ll pumpkin spice pass. 💬let's talk! In yesterday’s poll about [vegetarianism]( 44% of you said you’re eating a flexitarian diet with the planet in mind, 23% are vegetarian, 23% of you are not considering environmental factors when you choose what to eat, and 10% of you are vegan. 🤔 [What did you think of today’s email?](mailto:obsession%2Bfeedback@qz.com?cc=&subject=Thoughts%20about%20pumpkin%20spice%20lattes&body=) 💡 [What should we obsess over next?](mailto:obsession%2Bideas@qz.com?cc=&subject=Obsess%20over%20this%20next.&body=) [🎲 Show me a random Obsession]( Today’s email was written by [Stacy Conradt]( edited by [Annaliese Griffin]( and produced by [Luiz Romero.]( The correct answer to the quiz is Fall Harvest Latte. Enjoying the Quartz Obsession? [Send this link]( to a friend! Want to advertise in the Quartz Obsession? Send us an email at ads@qz.com. Not enjoying it? No worries. 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