Real pumpkin coming to Starbucks, Panera lattes

And, in the caffeinated world, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is getting ready for its reintroduction on menus across the globe.

Well, as it undergoes the adolescence brought on by its 12th year of existence, the pumpkin spice latte will graduate to a new plane of existence by integrating actual pumpkin as an ingredient.

In a fight to win over fans of the beverages in coming weeks, Starbucks and Panera are hyping reformulated versions of the pumpkin spice latte. “So, with that great taste you know and love, the PSL returns this fall, and this time it will be made with real pumpkin and without caramel coloring”, the Seattle-based coffee chain said in a blog post.

Nestle USA’s Libby brand dominates the market for the canned pumpkin mix that flavors beverages and your Thanksgiving pie.

The popular drink that debuts in the fall will feature “real pumpkin”, Starbucks announced today.

The revamped version now lists “Pumpkin Puree” as the third ingredient in their “Pumpkin Spice Flavored Sauce“, right after sugar and condensed skim milk. The company even has a Twitter account set up for the drink, which has more than 82,000 followers. The company will begin including pumpkin purée to the drink, and will simultaneously remove its caramel coloring. “I prefer less ingredients and more natural stuff”.

Starbucks announced Monday it’s adding a new ingredient to its popular Pumpkin Spice Latte this year: real pumpkin!

Not everybody was sold on the idea of pumpkin-flavored caffeine drinks.