A taste of autumn Starbucks shares fall drink recipes online
F
or coffee lovers, the beginning of the fall season is marked by the release of Starbucks’ seasonal fall drink lineup. The first fall seasonal espresso drink was created in 2003 in the Starbucks “Liquid Lab.” The team of food scientists that work in the lab developed what is now Starbucks’ most popular fall drink: the pumpkin spice latte. The drink is available in nearly 50 countries, according to Peter Dukes, the director of International Progress and Ideas for Starbucks. “I think the pumpkin spice latte is a classic seasonal drink for fall and is perfect for cooler days; however, I think that it’s a bit overrated,” sophomore Constanza Méndez Vega said. The fall seasonal lineup has since expanded to include six drinks and three baked goods. Junior Seth Mullins, a Starbucks barista, prefers the pumpkin cream cold brew because it is less bitter than other coffees and is topped with cold foam. The pumpkin cream cold brew is popular among Starbucks baristas. “[My favorite drink] is the pumpkin cream cold brew, it’s not as popular but we still get it ordered a lot,” senior Nora Gauss, Starbucks barista, said. In 2018, Starbucks signed a global licensing deal granting Nestle the rights to market Starbucks packaged products. With this partnership, Starbucks became one of Nestle Professional’s most popular brands, along with Fontana, Teavana and Seattle’s Best Coffee. Fontana produces a variety of syrups used in coffee, from hazelnut to peppermint. “The syrups are what create most of the flavor in the drinks and add sweetness,” Mullins said. “Without
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Tiger Times
Emma Tomlinson
tomliemm000@hsestudents.org
them, you would just get the basic coffee taste.” Besides use in Starbucks coffees, Fontana syrups can be found in local grocery stores such as Walmart, Target and Staples. Fontana syrups and packaged coffee bags are even available for purchase at Starbucks. “We sell bags of espresso, but they’re much smaller than the ones we use throughout the work day,” Gauss said. “Recently, too, most of
Scan this QR code for unique Starbucks recipes that you can make at home.
the syrups they ask for aren’t the ones we have in stock anyway.” Starbucks’ website called “Coffee At Home” shares tips and recipes for making popular drinks and unique recipes at home. The recipes range from golden turmeric lattes to coffee peanut butter smoothies. These recipes can be made with either Starbucksbranded ingredients or ingredients that can be found at home. Many of the coffee recipes on the website also include recipes to make the specialty syrups at home. “Without knowing the recipes or having the same ingredients, it’s always bound to taste different,”
Gauss said. In a poll conducted on Sept. 28, of 124 Fishers students, 54% said they would rather make their own coffee at home. “I absolutely love coffee, so I do make my own cup at home quite often,” Méndez Vega said. “I usually experiment with recipes inspired from the internet and Starbucks itself, but with an added kick.” Méndez Vega has experimented with making her own fall drink recipes. Recently, she made an espresso with spiced chai oat milk foam topped with a dash of pumpkin spice. “I think people making their own drinks at home is great because it saves them money and helps us not have to make as many,” Mullins said. According to a poll conducted on Sept. 30 of Fishers students, those polled spend on average $13.50 on Starbucks every week. For students who like to budget, making coffee at home is a great way to save money and be creative with recipes. “Making coffee at home would definitely reduce the cost and would be a better way to save money because it is cheaper to buy a bag of coffee beans that produces more cups of coffee rather than buying a single cup of coffee for the same price as the bag,” Méndez Vega said. Starbucks seasonal drinks can be a large expense if purchased weekly, but the drinks are extremely profitable for Starbucks. According to a recent Forbes interview with Starbucks CFO Rachel Ruggeri, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has brought in $1.4 billion since 2003. “Seasonal drinks make the fall more fun,” Gauss said. “It’s kind of upsetting that we don’t get to make them year-round.”
October 2021
