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Pumpkin Spice Latte Shortage Averted; Grateful Nation Rejoices

By Anthony Todd in Food on Oct 10, 2012 2:30PM

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Photo by Damian Dockery.

You may have missed this little tidbit if you aren't an obsessive Starbucks follower, but last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that there was a shortage of Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup. We were genuinely worried - how would America survive without its sugar-laden shots of artificial pumpkin flavoring?

Apparently, the drink has become so popular that supply simply couldn't keep up with demand. The syrup that makes the drink possible ran out at some stores around the country. As a strangely poignant (given that this is a coffee drink we're talking about) interview subject informed the WSJ, he was crushed when they begged for their orange nutmeg goodness.

For Asher Anidjar, the arrival of fall isn't marked by turning leaves or a chilly breeze, but a steaming seasonal drink. Recently, though, when he headed to his local Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latte, he left with a bitter taste in his mouth. They were out of the special sauce that gives the treat its distinctive autumnal flavor. "I just left, depressed," said Mr. Anidjar, a 26-year-old commercial real-estate analyst who lives in Manhattan.

For all of you out there who sympathize with Mr. Anidjar's plight, we say "get a life." But we also say: crisis averted. ABC news reported yesterday that everything will be fine. Starbucks distribution centers are fully stocked, and the problems were just a season-opening fluke. In what we hope was a tongue in cheek statement, Global Brand Public Relations Director Lisa Passe told ABC “I can confirm that there are no actual pumpkin emergencies.”

Thank goodness. Fall can continue.

PS: In case you were wondering, even when made with soy milk, the Pumpkin Spice Latte isn't vegan. The things you learn when you start searching.