There’s no turning back from the fall-themed food
It’s mid August. The Campus is buzzing with heat, almost unbearably so if you’re not wearing shorts and a tank top. All we crave are watermelon and iced tea.
It’s August 27 now. The Starbucks on Azusa Pacific’s campus replaces the menu boards with a big announcement: Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back. The scramble to try the new drinks create a line out the door, time not being an issue with the pumpkin drink in sight. The temperature outside is still reaching over 100 Degrees (F), but fall themed drinks and food are already being brought to the table.
Every year pumpkin flavored food and beverages are introduced sooner and sooner, but the line has been crossed this year. August is too early for anything related to the holidays, even if customers are buying the products. Holiday seasons should be respected, because if the U.S. celebrates too early, then the magic is ruined.
Many companies have hopped on the “pumpkin train” and introduced fall flavors to the shelves as of 2019, but it is important to remember where this trend started. Starbucks changed the holiday game when they introduced the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003.
People flooded the stores and had major disagreements on social media. Some customers love the drink, and look forward to the seasonal change in stores. Others believe the drink is over-hyped in the coffee industry. The debate resulted in a lot of marketing opportunities for the large corporation, who added more pumpkin flavored pastries onto the menu.
Over the holiday season, Starbucks will profit more than $100 million on just Pumpkin Spice Lattes alone, as projected by Clare Connor of Forbes. The longer the drink is out on the menu, the larger the profit will be.
Starbucks made its mark with the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but there are other drinks making waves in sales. A new drink, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew has made its impact on campus and across the nation. The drink is cheaper compared to the other drinks on the menu, ringing in at $4.45 for a Tall. “
You still get that rich, strong cold brew flavor but with a soothing sweet finish,” said Megan Schaltegger of Delish. Schaltegger believes that the new cold brew drink is better than the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte, taking the Pumpkin Spice Latte off the favorites list after a succesful 16 years.
Starbucks is not the only brand that releases seasonal items. Pumpkin spice flavors are taking over grocery stores, and being added to foods that should stay far away from pumpkin. Some of the craziest food combinations on the market are sold by big companies. There is something for everyone in the fall-themed food category. Ranging from pumpkin spam, pumpkin protein powder, pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin salsas, the list goes on.
Whitney Filoon from Eater compiled a group of products that surprised the biggest pumpkin lovers. The products are not reserved for only people, but our pets also. Greenies, the dog food brand has a pumpkin spice flavored dental treat for our furry friends. It’s a relief to know that canines are not left out of the festivities.
The food industry is completely out of control over the holidays. Soon, they’ll be putting candy canes and gingerbread items out before Halloween. The line for acceptable holiday foods keeps getting blurrier. If the ever-so-loved coffee drinks and foods are released earlier and earlier, they will lose the specialty value. Big corporations are seasonally increasing profit, but an overused drink could have future retaliation if customers forgo the drink altogether.
It would not be ideal to drink a Pumpkin Spice Latte in the summer, but that’s the direction the industry is heading. It’s time to wake up, and smell the regular, non-flavored coffee.