Pumpkin Spice

Why Pumpkin Spice Is So Popular: It is All about Comfort

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It is that time of year again when pumpkin spice coffees are all the rage. And no, we are not just talking about coffee shop menus. Even our customers tend to show preference for pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and other fall flavors as we turn the page from summer into winter. The question is, why?

There is little doubt that America’s taste preferences change with the seasons. The thing is that we associate certain flavors with certain times of the year. For example, we associate certain foods with temperature changes and leisure activities. So it should be no surprise that what we drink this time of year differs from what we drink in the summer.

Fall and Winter Comfort

You are familiar with the principle of comfort food, right? We all have those foods that remind us of youthful times of safety and security under the watchful eyes of mom and dad. We associate comfort food with mom’s cooking or visits to grandmother’s house. Well, it turns out that the same phenomenon explains why people gravitate to flavors like pumpkin spice during the fall.

Mintel research released in 2017 says it all. According to their data, people prefer seasonal coffee flavors for the following reasons:

  • They are comforting – 39%
  • They are special – 39%
  • They evoke feelings of warmth – 33%
  • They evoke feelings of happiness – 30%
  • They are nostalgic – 27%.

It is clear that seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice evoke good feelings in people. Those are the kinds of feelings we want heading into that time of year that is supposed to be about family, friends, and quality time spent together.

The Next Big Flavor

The National Coffee Association says that pumpkin, cinnamon, and clove are the three big coffee flavors of autumn. By the time Christmas rolls around, it’s all about chestnut, peppermint, and winter spice. But curious minds want to know what the next big seasonal flavor is going to be.

At the risk of putting ourselves out there, we are willing to make two predictions. We think hot apple cider is going to be big by this time next year. We are already seeing a couple of coffee retailers experiment with the flavor for pod machines. We think it’s going to catch on. As for winter and Christmas, we have our eyes set on butterscotch.

Butterscotch is a sweet candy flavor that is often served alongside peppermint. Strangely enough, there are people whose stomachs don’t tolerate mint flavors very well. Butterscotch is going to be their go-to coffee flavor soon enough. If not this winter, then next winter.

Seasonal coffee is all about comfort. We take great comfort in the tastes of the season that remind us of earlier days. And for some of us, pumpkin spice makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. That’s why it’s all the rage from early October through early December. If it’s what you want, just let us know. Galaxie Coffee has all the flavors perfect for the season.

3 Reasons Behind the Popularity of Pumpkin Spice Coffee

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3 Reasons Behind the Popularity of Pumpkin Spice CoffeeIt is that time of year again when people flock to their favorite coffee shops to find pumpkin spice coffees and lattes. Indeed, pumpkin spice is one of the top-selling flavors from mid-September through the end of the year. Some coffee shops would contend it is the most popular flavor of all. But why?

There are three possible reasons explaining the popularity of the pumpkin spice flavor. Before we get to them though, consider this: Forbes reports that pumpkin-flavored coffees were the third best-selling pumpkin products in 2015 with sales in excess of $32 million. Furthermore, 37% of America’s consumers purchased something flavored with pumpkin spice in 2015. The total pumpkin spice market exceeded $500 million.

That is a lot of pumpkin spice no matter how you look at it. So again, what’s going on here? Why is it that people fall head over heels with pumpkin spice coffee, pastries, and even dog treats this time of year? Here are the three reasons we previously mentioned:

1. Biological Cravings

Human biology causes us to crave things it needs to satisfy physiological requirements. Yes, our bodies need things like sugar, salt, and fat. Pumpkin spice-flavored foods and beverages contain all three. More importantly, a September article published on the Today website explains that “cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are particular taste enhancers.”

As the thinking goes, the body already naturally craves the ingredients found in a flavored cup of coffee. When you throw in the spices necessary to make a pumpkin spice-flavored coffee, you are adding flavor enhancers that tell the body this is especially good stuff.

2. Emotional Satisfaction

Pumpkin spice flavors remind us of the rituals of the autumn season. With autumn comes the start of the annual holiday season, beginning with Halloween and concluding with New Year’s Day. It could very well be that people associate the pumpkin spice flavor with the emotional satisfaction of the holidays. In short, pumpkin spice coffee may be the ultimate comfort food as we say goodbye to summer and prepare for winter.

3. Exceptional Marketing Strategies

The third and final reason is not so warm and fuzzy: exceptional marketing strategies have put pumpkin spice at the forefront of fall marketing for foods and beverages. Starbucks was the first to introduce the pumpkin spice flavor as an institution in 2003; they have invested heavily in marketing it ever since.

Even as our bodies naturally crave what pumpkin spice foods offer, marketers encourage us to answer those cravings with a cup of coffee. They also take advantage of the emotional satisfaction by marketing in ways that remind us of what we consider ‘happy times’.

Regardless of why pumpkin spice is the most popular coffee flavor this time of year, Galaxie Coffee is here to make sure your office has all the hot and cold beverages you need. Get in touch with us to learn more about our full range of coffees, teas, cold beverages, and breakroom supplies.