Inside America's pumpkin spice obsession
It's that time of year again, friends: The infamous pumpkin spice latte is back. And as Starbucks stores nationwide swell with people trying to get their hands on the chain's iconic seasonal beverage, grocery stores and restaurants are bathing themselves in orange, cinnamon-y goodness in a desperate attempt to get a piece of the pumpkin action.
Starbucks has sold more than 200 million pumpkin spice lattes since introducing the autumnal beverage in 2003, and Forbes estimates the company made around $100 million in revenue from pumpkin spice lattes just last fall. So it's not surprising that the drink's popularity has inspired a boom in pumpkin spice products — from vodka to hummus to pumpkin spice Cheerios. This year, Trader Joe's will stock more than 70 pumpkin items during the fall season.
Between the nostalgia factor, the desire to celebrate fall's return, and the allure of the limited-time offer, pumpkin spice anything is a safe bet for boosting fall sales, says The Washington Post. While 72 percent of customers only buy one Starbucks pumpkin spice latte a year, those who come in for such seasonal products spend more on average when they do visit.
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Why fight it? Just enjoy all the unnecessarily pumpkin-flavored things your little heart secretly desires.
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