3 Big Numbers is a weekly column that looks at a few key details from around the c-store industry.
When it comes to seasonal flavors, pumpkin spice is king. Sure, summer has fruity trends and winter brings an array of peppermint, cinnamon and eggnog delights, but pumpkin spice culturally heralds the arrival of autumn in a way no other taste seems to match.
While pumpkin spice flavoring doesn’t involve actual pumpkins — it refers to the blend of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and ginger that seasons pumpkin pie filling — convenience retailers like to utilize both ingredients. Stewart’s Shops sells a bevy of baked goods featuring the two flavors, while Rutter’s turned them into a milkshake.
So how popular is pumpkin spice?
In this week’s “3 Big Numbers,” we look at just how big the seasonal flavor is and why it’s worth considering on c-store menus.
$1.1 billion
Expected global pumpkin spice sales for 2025.
Total spending on products that contain the popular flavor is expected to reach around $1.1 billion this year, according to data from Coherent Market Insights. Much of that interest comes from North America, which makes up over a third of the spending, according to the report.
Moreover, having pumpkin spice items on the menu can prompt customers to spend more. Financial services company Empower found that 34% of shoppers buy more food and beverage items in the fall thanks to pumpkin spice promos.
34%
The percentage of consumers who say they start buying pumpkin spice as soon as it’s available.
More than a third of people surveyed by Empower said they start buying pumpkin spice as soon as it’s available. For retailers like 7-Eleven and QuickChek, which have been offering variations on pumpkin spice coffee for years, that means some customers are eagerly waiting for their first cup.
The Empower report also found that more than a third of customers are loyal to companies with products that give them their fall flavor fix, rising to 42% for Gen Z. So if that new pumpkin spice nitro catches customers’ eye, they’ll probably be looking for it again next September.
$32
The average amount Americans spend on pumpkin spice per month during the fall.
Pumpkin spice sales in the U.S. average $32 per person per month, according to Empower’s survey. That goes even higher for younger generations, with Millennials doubling that to $64 per month.
Baked goods and coffee or other beverages are the two most popular pumpkin-spice-infused items, with around 40% of respondents purchasing them. But candies and snacks along with ice cream and dairy products — like the aforementioned pumpkin pie shakes — make their way into about a quarter of people’s baskets.
Coffee is particularly popular among younger cohorts, with 51% of Generation Z and 47% of millennials buying pumpkin spiced varieties. Retailers looking to tempt Zoomers could consider starting with pumpkin spice.
