A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO
FIRST SIP
TAKEAWAYS FROM STARBUCKS ’ PSL
PUMPKIN SPICE SEASON is clearly creeping into the summer . Restaurant software and payments provider SpotOn saw a 2,200 % increase in pumpkin items on its independent client ’ s point-of-sale menus from July 1 to Aug . 7 .
During that period , SpotOn reports that these restaurant clients added more than 602 pumpkin menu items . Of those , 65 % were beverages : 27 % beer , wine , 20 % cocktails , 13 % coffee and 4 % tea .
We can thank Starbucks for starting and fueling the nation ’ s pumpkin spice obsession . The coffee chain launched its Pumpkin Spice Latte ( PSL ) 20 years ago , and the specialty drink has come to mark the unofficial start of fall for many customers .
According to its website , Starbucks wanted to create another seasonal hit in 2003 following the success of its Peppermint Mocha the previous winter . After months of R & D , the Starbucks espresso beverage team came up with the PSL , which is now the chain ’ s most popular seasonal beverage . Here are four takeaways from the PSL phenomenon .
1 ) Uniqueness counts . While Starbucks ’ customer research showed that chocolate and caramel beverages were most likely to perform best , pumpkin scored high on “ uniqueness .” The espresso beverage team ran with it , developing and refining a recipe that brought out the pumpkin pie flavors that best complemented the coffee .
2 ) Consider names carefully . Peter Dukes , who led the Starbucks espresso beverage team at the time , said that they wanted to choose a unique name , such as the fall harvest latte . “ 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 .”
3 ) Timing is everything . Starbucks usually rolls out its fall menu on a Tuesday , according to location analytics provider Placer , but this year the chain released PSL on Aug . 24 — a Thursday . The proximity to the weekend may have contributed to a 25.1 % increase in visits on the launch day , the largest spike in recent years .
4 ) Social media matters . While the PSL was a hit from the beginning , Dukes said that Starbucks was tempted to discontinue the special to keep things new and fresh . It didn ’ t , though , and when Facebook and Twitter arrived in 2006 , and customers began sharing their love for PSL on social media , “ it just took off on a whole new level .”
Cheers to fall — and PSL !
Melissa Dowling Editor
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