Starbucks’ Neuroscience-Backed “Secret Weapon” Returns Tomorrow

August 25, 2025 | Seattle

In a deep-dive feature published today, Inc. revealed how Starbucks’ seasonal lifeline-the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL)-was painstakingly crafted and has become a multibillion-dollar phenomenon rooted in neuroscience and nostalgia.

According to company records, the PSL was born 22 years ago in Starbucks’ “Liquid Lab,” where teams tested over 100 flavor ideas before narrowing to roughly 20 finalists, among which pumpkin emerged as a clear winner. Since its nationwide rollout in 2004, the PSL has evolved just once-in 2015, when real pumpkin puree replaced artificial flavors-and now drives approximately $500 million in annual revenue.

The Inc. article highlights how Starbucks has strategically extended the “unofficial start of fall” by moving its launch date earlier each year; tomorrow’s return marks the earliest debut yet, coming a full week before Labor Day, compared with previous releases following the holiday. Neuroscientists quoted in the piece explain that the PSL’s aroma taps directly into brain regions tied to memory and emotion. Dr. Catherine Franssen notes that scents bypass the thalamus and forge direct links with higher cognitive centers, evoking the “warm, fuzzy feelings” of family gatherings and Thanksgiving dinners.

Additional milestones charted in the article include:

• 24 percent spike in U.S. store traffic on the PSL’s initial release day last year, compared to average Thursdays.
• A four-spice blend-cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice-forming the core of Starbucks’ signature pumpkin-pie spice.

As Starbucks readies its fall lineup-including the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte-tomorrow’s early release once again proves that, for the coffee giant, all the clichés about Pumpkin Spice season are unquestionably true.