It’s Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte season, with <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2023/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-returns-for-its-20th-year-on-august-24" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fall drinks and food arriving in stores Aug. 24</a>. But it wasn’t always this way. Here’s the story of how a beverage became a phenomenon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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It’s hard to imagine the arrival of autumn without the cozy comfort of a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. But 20 years ago, pumpkin spice and fall hadn’t found each other yet. <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2022/starbucks-peppermint-mocha-a-love-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peppermint Mocha</a> was Starbucks first blockbuster seasonal beverage the winter before and the company hoped to create another hit for the autumn season. Peter Dukes, who led the Starbucks beverage development team at the time, remembers working with the team to create the company’s first fall beverage.&nbsp;

“We started with a huge brainstorm list and filled the wall with ideas,” Dukes said. “We probably had at least a hundred ideas up on the wall. And once we got those ideas, we started to whittle away at them and came down to a list of about 20 different flavours including chocolate and caramel – the most popular flavours to pair with coffee – and there was orange and cinnamon ... and there was pumpkin there as well.”&nbsp;

When they asked potential customers what flavors they were likely to purchase in a written survey, it was the chocolate and caramel beverages that reliably performed best. But there was something special about pumpkin. It scored high on “uniqueness.” Dukes and the team decided to explore it a bit further and keep it on their short list.&nbsp;

On an early spring day in 2003, the team gathered in the “Liquid Lab,” a secure research and development space on the 7th floor of Starbucks headquarters in Seattle. Members of the team brought in kitschy fall decorations and pumpkin pies and began to explore ideas. They would sample a forkful of pumpkin pie followed by a sip of hot espresso – teasing out which flavours from the pie best complemented the coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For the next three months, the team refined the recipe, handcrafted with espresso, pumpkin spice sauce, and steamed milk – topped off with whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin pie topping. In a taste test alongside the chocolate and caramel beverages, pumpkin was the clear winner. Next, they just needed a name.&nbsp;

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“There was a desire to choose a really unique name, such as the fall harvest latte,” said Dukes. “We ultimately ended up landing on Pumpkin Spice Latte because the spices play a really important role in bringing out the flavors of pumpkin, while also highlighting the espresso in the cup.”&nbsp;

In the fall of 2003, Starbucks first brought the beverage as a test to about 100 stores in Washington, D.C. and Vancouver, B.C.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Within the first week of the market test, we knew we had a winner,” Dukes said. “I remember calling store managers on the phone to see how the new beverage was doing, and we could hear the excitement in their voices.”&nbsp;

The next fall, Pumpkin Spice Latte (nicknamed PSL) rolled out across the company’s U.S. and Canada stores, although the company still considered switching it up over the next few years for something new. That is, until Facebook and Twitter arrived in 2006, and customers began sharing their love for PSL on social media with their family and friends.&nbsp;

“We launched PSL very well, but then there were discussions about discontinuing it,” Dukes said. “There was this idea back then of, ‘Hey, we want keep things new, keep things fresh.’ And fortunately, we kept bringing it back. With the arrival of social media, it just took off on a whole new level.”&nbsp;

Millions of PSLs and thousands of “P-S-Lfies” later, the beverage had officially entered the cultural zeitgeist. By the 2010s, everything from pumpkin spice-scented candles to pumpkin-spice ham were in the marketplace. The media took notice of the growing pumpkin spice phenomenon, from morning talk show hosts to late-night comedians. Even a temporary shortage of ingredients in 2012 caused news outlets to breathlessly declare a “Pumpkin Emergency.” Meanwhile, the beverage developed a bit of a personality, with its own Twitter (now known as X) handle and Instagram profile starting in 2014, and a social following that would grow into the thousands.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Download Timeline of Pumpkin Spice Latte's 20 Years

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These days, in the era of TikTok and Instagram Reels, customers share their excitement about fall and their first PSL sips of the season with video reviews and tributes. It’s not just Pumpkin Spice Latte, it’s also <a href="https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/product/2123113/iced?parent=%2Fdrinks%2Fcold-coffees%2Fcold-brews" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew</a> and the new Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, plus a variety of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2021/new-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-coffee-enhancer-coming-to-canadian-grocery-stores/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at-home and ready-to-drink coffees in grocery stores</a>. It’s not even just fall. It’s reached markets all around the world – even in the southern hemisphere, where it’s springtime.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now 20 years later, Dukes still works for Starbucks, although he now develops new concepts for Starbucks stores instead of espresso drinks. But his face still smiles from a mural painted for PSL’s 10th anniversary in Burlington, Washington. And when people learn he’s the creator of PSL, they may ask for a selfie.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Nobody knew at the beginning what it would grow to be,” Dukes said. "20 years later, it’s taken on a life of its own.”&nbsp;

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Fall means it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season – but it wasn’t always this way. Here’s the story of how a beverage became a phenomenon.

PSL turns 20: The story behind Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Starbucks Canada

PSL turns 20: The story behind Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte 

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2023/psl-turns-20-the-story-behind-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte/

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This year, grocery retailers will offer Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL)-lovers an additional way to enjoy their favourite fall flavour at home, with the new Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer. The coffee enhancer is inspired by the original Starbucks PSL, a fan-favourite beverage that first launched in Starbucks stores nearly two decades ago. The beverage has since become one of the most popular Starbucks seasonal beverages of all time. 

Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer is a seasonal extension to the Starbucks® Coffee Enhancers range that launched in Canada earlier this year. Enjoy your favourite Starbucks café flavour in the comfort of your own home. Proudly prepared in Canada, Starbucks Coffee Enhancers are delicious in hot and cold coffee drinks with a perfectly smooth and balanced taste that pairs well with any Starbucks coffees. Only 40 calories per tablespoon, Starbucks Enhancers are a delightful alternative to milk, creamer, half-and-half or other dairy substitutes, and the bottles are easily recyclable. Explore the full Starbucks Coffee Enhancer range featuring four varieties: Caramel Macchiato, Cinnamon Dolce, White Chocolate Mocha, and the limited-edition Pumpkin Spice.

New Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer&nbsp;

The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer, inspired by Pumpkin Spice Latte, was thoughtfully crafted with the delicious flavours of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg to pair with your coffee for a perfect taste of fall.

Starbucks® Caramel Macchiato Coffee Enhancer&nbsp;

Inspired by the classic Starbucks® Caramel Macchiato, this flavoured coffee enhancer was carefully crafted to enhance every cup of coffee with layers of sweet, buttery caramel and vanilla flavours.

Starbucks® Cinnamon Dolce Coffee Enhancer&nbsp;

Elevate your morning, afternoon or evening cup with the Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Coffee Enhancer. Inspired by the delicious Starbucks® Cinnamon Dolce Latte, enjoy rich, sweet and smooth cinnamon streusel flavours with your favourite coffee.

Starbucks® White Chocolate Mocha Coffee Enhancer&nbsp;

The Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Coffee Enhancer was artfully crafted to bring rich, sweet and smooth flavours of white chocolate to your coffee. Simply shake well before use to elevate any cup of coffee.

Availability &amp; Pricing: The suggested retail price is $7.49 for 828 mL bottle, available where you buy groceries.

Starbucks At-Home

Starbucks® Coffee Enhancers are part of the global coffee alliance between Starbucks and Nestle. In 2018, the companies joined forces and created the global coffee alliance to create the ultimate product experience for consumers.

This year, grocery retailers will offer Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL)-lovers an additional way to enjoy their favourite fall flavour at home, with the new Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer.

New Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer Coming to Canadian Grocery Stores - Starbucks Canada

New Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Coffee Enhancer Coming to Canadian Grocery Stores

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2021/new-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-coffee-enhancer-coming-to-canadian-grocery-stores/

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This Fall, Starbucks is giving customers a brand-new way to celebrate the season with the brew-tiful new Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew launching Tuesday, August 27th!

The coffee-forward Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is&nbsp;Starbucks first pumpkin-flavoured cold coffee beverage since the launch of PSL in 2003. Only in development since early 2019, the team had over 10 variations of the beverage, before picking the perfect recipe to follow in the footsteps of the iconic PSL:

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Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew combines two of our customers’ favourite things, pumpkin spices and Cold Brew. With each sip, you’ll experience the creamy pumpkin flavour followed by a refreshing taste of cold brew.

The flavours of pumpkin and vanilla perfectly balance the cocoa notes in Starbucks Cold Brew. The result is a smooth and well-rounded beverage that brings out the flavours of the season without being overly sweet.&nbsp; 

Joining the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew are NEW Pumpkin Spice Madeleines, combining traditional Madeleine cake flavoured with pumpkin, cinnamon and a hint of ginger.

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Also back on menus on August 27th are three returning fan-favourite beverages, Pumpkin Spice Latte (back for its sixteenth year!), Salted Caramel Mocha, and Cardamom Latte, a NEW Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, and several returning bakery items, including the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, back by popular demand!

Starbucks full Fall lineup can be found below. Share your thoughts on social by tagging @StarbucksCanada #PSLseason.

Pumpkin Spice Latte (returning favourite)

Celebrating its sixteenth year, the PSL is made with real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, for a taste of the season with each sip. The official beverage of Fall is handcrafted with espresso and steamed milk and topped off with whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin spice topping. 

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Salted Caramel Mocha (returning favourite)

A seasonal favourite, the Salted Caramel Mocha blends mocha sauce and toffee nut syrup, combined with espresso and milk, and finished with whipped cream, caramel drizzle and Sea Salt Sugar topping. 

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Cardamom Latte (returning favourite)

Espresso and steamed milk, sweetened with Classic syrup, crafted together and topped with Cardamom Spice sugar.

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Pumpkin Scone (returning favourite)

Flavoured with pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and cinnamon, topped with a sweet icing and drizzle.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin (returning favourite)

Our perfectly spiced pumpkin muffin topped with sweet cream cheese and a sprinkling of chopped, caramelized pepitas for a delightful balance of salty and sweet. 

Pumpkin Loaf (returning favourite)

A gently spiced bread with pumpkin flavours and pepitas.

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Starbucks VIA® Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte

Made with high quality arabica beans and a smooth and creamy combination of real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Just tear open a packet, add hot water, wait 10 seconds and stir. No coffee machine or grinder needed!

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2019 Thanksgiving Blend

Dark chocolate and subtle spices, featuring notes of sage. Inspired by the warmth of the season and gatherings big or small, this year we celebrate a thoughtful new recipe.

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This Fall, Starbucks is giving customers a brand-new way to celebrate the season with the new Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew launching Tuesday, August 27th!

Starbucks is (Cold) Brewing a NEW Fall Favourite! - Starbucks Canada

Starbucks is (Cold) Brewing a NEW Fall Favourite!

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2019/starbucks-is-cold-brewing-a-new-fall-favourite/

Announcing return date of its beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), Starbucks® has declared Tuesday, August 27, the first day of Fall.

Celebrating its sixteenth year, Pumpkin Spice Latte has become a cultural phenomenon, synonymous with Fall, and is Starbucks top-selling seasonal beverage of all time, having sold an estimated more than 424 million since 2003!

Starbucks PSL is made with real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, for a taste of the season with each sip. It’s handcrafted with espresso and steamed milk and topped off with whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin spice topping. 

Like all beverages at Starbucks, you can customize your PSL so it’s just how you want it!

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Pumpkin Spice Latte History

Stay tuned for more exciting Fall menu news!

*&nbsp; Pumpkin spice sauce contains dairy

Announcing return date of its beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks® has declared Tuesday, August 27, the first day of Fall.

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is returning to stores! - Starbucks Canada

Fall is here! Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is returning to stores Tuesday, August 27th

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https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2019/fall-is-here-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte-is-returning-to-stores-tuesday-august-27th/