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