Flavour of fall: Starbucks has officially brought pumpkin spice lattes back to the UAE

After being 'cancelled' for much of 2020, the famous beverage makes a return to the Middle East

Pumpkin spice latte is a seasonal offering from Starbucks. Photo: Starbucks

When Starbucks announced that it would not be selling its famous pumpkin spice lattes in the Middle East in 2020, it caused a meltdown among the UAE's online community.

Luckily, Starbucks seems to have learnt from the incident, because this year the coffee chain has already brought back the speciality, earlier than expected.

The brand teased the return of the drink on Instagram for days, with the range officially rolled out in the UAE on Monday.

At the moment, there are a number of hot and cold variations available, from the classic pumpkin spice latte to a creme frappuccino.

For 2021, the brand has ensured that vegans don’t feel left out as it has introduced non-dairy versions, made using coconut milk.

“We know how much you love our Doubleshot, which is why we brought in more choices for you to enjoy your classic favourite. Introducing the all-new Doubleshot with coconut milk for when you want to go vegan. Available in hot and iced shaken versions,” it states on its website.

There’s even a sweet pumpkin blondie dessert for those who prefer to munch on pumpkin spiced goodness rather than sip it.

Prices start at Dh21 for the beverages, which are now available at Starbucks stores as well as at drive thrus and for delivery in the UAE.

The news was met with much fanfare from UAE residents, many of whom shared pictures of their pumpkin spice lattes on social media with the hashtag #PSL. As one UAE resident put it: “It’s a good day."

The brand has also commented that the seasonal drink will be available in other Middle Eastern countries such as Oman, Lebanon and Jordan.

When Starbucks announced it would not be selling its famous beverage in 2020, it upset the online community, with some stating “this year could not get worse".

It created such an uproar that Starbucks decided to bring the beverage back for a limited time in October.

Starbucks first introduced pumpkin spice lattes in a handful of North American stores in 2002 as an experiment. Featuring a mix of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, and topped with whipped cream, the drink was an instant hit, becoming an Instagram sensation in the years that followed. Today, it even has its own Instagram page.

However, the drink is not without its criticism. Described by Vox as "an unctuous, pungent, saccharine brown liquid, equal parts dairy and diabetes, served in paper cups and guzzled down by the litre", it’s been controversial due to its 380-calorie content per cup.