It is officially autumn, and to mainstream America that means one thing: THE RETURN OF THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE.
It is hard to remember a time that #PSL did not pervade popular culture. But, in fact, Starbucks introduced the sugar-loaded, fall spice-infused beverage only in 2003. Since then, it has sold more than 200 million cups and led to a bevy of pumpkin spice-related spin-off products, from air fresheners to bar soap to peanut butter.
But here is a fun fact: For years, the iconic drink did not contain even a pinch of pumpkin. “Pumpkin spice” merely referred to an amalgamation of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and clove spices. Then, social media caught whiff of the con, leading to a shaming campaign that caused the company to re-work its recipe in 2015.
Now, the special pumpkin spice sauce contains real pumpkin puree — which was also met with some online consternation, though not enough to slow sales. In fact, estimates say that, each year, Starbucks makes around $100 million from its most popular seasonal drink.
Bottoms up, America.