Why The Science Of Nostalgia Will Makes You Crave The New Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Pumpkin aficionados can rejoice: Starbucks is launching a new pumpkin cream cold brew on Aug. 27. It combines vanilla, pumpkin cream cold foam and pumpkin spice with Starbucks cold brew. If you are drooling over this release, you can blame the science of nostalgia.

Starbucks Launches a New Pumpkin Drink

Pumpkin cream cold brew is the first new seasonal pumpkin drink since 2003. Starbucks is also releasing its fall menu on the same day as the cold brew, which includes the pumpkin spice latte (PSL), salted caramel mocha, pumpkin cream cheese muffin, pumpkin scone and pumpkin spice madeleines.

“With customer excitement for PSL sweeping the nation each fall, we wanted to create a new beverage that combines two of our customers’ favorite things, pumpkin spices and cold brew. With each sip of Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, you’ll enjoy the familiar, creamy, flavor of pumpkin spice followed by a refreshing taste of cold brew, for a cool beverage that will have you wishing it was fall all year long,” Matthew Thornton, who is part of the Starbucks beverage R&D team, said.

Some may argue that August is too early for pumpkin spice items, but Starbucks shares that it timed the release deliberately. “Starbucks loves fall so much that we’re extending the shortest season of the year by nearly a month. Every year, we’re blown away by those who share our fall fanaticism and lean into the fall lifestyle mid-summer,” Starbucks explained.

The Connection Between Pumpkins and Nostalgia

Although there are people who loathe pumpkin spice and despise fall, Starbucks has found enormous success with its pumpkin-flavored items. The company has sold 424 million pumpkin spice lattes since 2003 and has 30,000 fans in its Leaf Rakers Society group for fall lovers.

Why do people crave pumpkin spice and dream about the return of PSL every year? Cindy Ott, an author and professor, believes it has to do with nostalgia. The nostalgic aroma of pumpkins can trigger memories of Thanksgiving, holidays and family. It may also remind some people of picking out pumpkins during the fall while dreaming of a simpler life on a farm that they will never experience.

Research also shows that the smell of food is more important than its taste. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders explains, “People with smell disorders often have problems appreciating the smell of foods and claim that food is less enjoyable. They may change their eating habits, which may have a long-term impact on overall health. Loss of the sense of smell may also cause a person to add too much sugar or salt to make food taste better.”

Starbucks and other companies that launch pumpkin-flavored products have figured out the link between nostalgia and aroma. Even if you do not like pumpkin spice, you will have to get used to because it is not going away soon.