It may still be August, but according to grocery store shelves, fall has already arrived.
Pumpkin spice products are appearing increasingly early, continuing a seasonal marketing trend that now routinely puts autumn flavors in stores while temperatures outside remain decidedly summery.
This year, pumpkin spice season arguably began before summer officially got underway. Food review site Sporked reported finding Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Creamer in stores as early as June.
Since then, the pumpkin parade has grown.
Chobani’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer has returned to shelves, while Horizon Organic is offering a Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll creamer. Philadelphia-based La Colombe has brought back its Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte, combining cold-brew coffee, milk, pumpkin puree and spices.
And pumpkin is moving well beyond the coffee aisle.
Flipz and Dunkin’ have teamed up on Pumpkin Spice Donut Covered Pretzels, featuring coated pretzels with pumpkin-flavored icing. Chobani’s seasonal Pumpkin Harvest Crisp yogurt combines pumpkin-spice Greek yogurt with oatmeal pastry pieces, frosting chunks and cinnamon cookies.
The annual arrival of pumpkin spice has become something of an unofficial countdown to fall — although that countdown seems to start earlier every year.
The flavor’s modern popularity is closely associated with the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, introduced in 2003. Its success helped transform a traditional mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves into a seasonal marketing phenomenon encompassing everything from cereal and cookies to candles and pet products.
Retailers have increasingly stretched the season by putting Halloween and fall merchandise on shelves shortly after Independence Day. Some enthusiasts now jokingly consider July 5 the unofficial beginning of “spooky season.”
Autumn doesn’t officially begin until Sept. 22, but in the grocery aisle, pumpkin spice apparently no longer waits for the calendar.
Source: Sporked