The rise of Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte business, by the numbers
Briefly

The Pumpkin Spice Latte returned to Starbucks menus in the U.S. and Canada. The beverage is Starbucks' most popular seasonal drink, with hundreds of millions sold since its 2003 debut. The flavor has inspired imitation offerings from competitors such as Dunkin' and McDonald's. The drink began with a 100-store test run in Vancouver and Washington in 2003 and launched nationally the following year. Starbucks sold the latte in 79 markets in 2024 and now operates in 88 markets. Starbucks reported $36.2 billion in net revenue for fiscal 2024, up from $4.1 billion in 2003. Mentions of pumpkin spice on U.S. menus rose 33.8% from fall 2014 to fall 2024. McCormick's pumpkin pie spice contains four spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Merriam-Webster added "pumpkin spice" to the dictionary in 2022. The Pumpkin Spice Latte was the third seasonal beverage introduced by Starbucks, following the Eggnog Latte and Peppermint Mocha. Foot traffic at U.S. Starbucks rose 24% on Aug. 22 last year, the day the Pumpkin Spice Latte went on sale.
Want a little autumn in your August? You're in luck. The seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to Starbucks menus in the U.S. and Canada. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is Starbucks' most popular seasonal beverage, with hundreds of millions sold since the espresso drink's 2003 launch. It's also produced a host of imitations. Dunkin' introduced pumpkin-flavored drinks in 2007; it beat Starbucks to market this year when its fall menu debuted last week. McDonald's introduced a pumpkin spice latte in 2013.
- 100: Number of Starbucks stores that sold the Pumpkin Spice Latte during a test run in Vancouver and Washington in 2003. The following year it launched nationally. - 79: Number of markets where Starbucks sold the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2024. At the time, the company had stores in 85 markets around the world. It now operates in 88 markets. - $36.2 billion: Starbucks' net revenue in its 2024 fiscal year, which ended last September. Starbucks' net revenue was $4.1 billion in 2003, when the Pumpkin Spiace Latte first went on sale.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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