Pumpkin Spice Season Is Getting Earlier Every Year

Here it is late August and already we are being inundated with all things pumpkin spice. It used to be a Fall phenomenon, but according to the folks at Instacart it's getting earlier each year.

The trendy pumpkin spice flavor has been around for a couple of decades now. It started with the introduction of the flavor for your Dunkin coffee to be enjoyed in the Fall. The overwhelming popularity of it combined with our desire to have everything we want whenever we want has demanded we have it sooner.

Pumpkin spice has leached out and into just about everything from scented candles to tea and doughnuts and candy. You can buy a can of pumpkin spice flavored spray to make your spaces smell spicey all the time.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte hits Starbucks next Tuesday, August 26th.  That's four days later than last year.  The 22nd was the earliest they'd ever brought it back.

But a new report from Instacart found pumpkin spice season really is getting earlier and earlier.

They looked at sales of pumpkin-spice products over the past four years, and no one buys them from February through July.  But then sales skyrocket.

"Peak" pumpkin spice season isn't usually until late September now, but it keeps creeping closer to mid-month.

Back in 2021, sales didn't peak until October.  But last year's peak was September 17th, a full 10 days earlier than 2023.

Sales of pumpkin spice coffee creamer also take off right about now, jumping nearly 1,500% in the fall.

Some people just don’t want to wait till late summer or fall to get their favorite flavor. Now they can get as much as their hearts desire because you can find it anywhere. Go to any Homegoods store or any place that carries specialty foods and you find all kinds of pumpkin spice stuff.

(Instacart)