The State That Craves Pumpkin Spice The Most
Without a doubt, autumn is the season of pumpkin spice and everything nice. Ever since the famous Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte entered our lives in 2003, we just haven't been able to get enough of pumpkin spice. And who can blame us?
Fortunately, the pumpkin spice industry has exploded in recent years, leaving us with plenty of fun fall products to choose from. There's coffee and coffee creamer, of course, but also pumpkin spice cereal, pancake mix, candles, lip balm, and even deodorant (via the New York Post). According to Forbes, the pumpkin spice industry as a whole is worth more than $600 million, with a $110 million chunk made up just by Starbucks.
But although pumpkin spice is beloved by millions of Americans all across the country, some states love the warm, autumnal flavor more than others. So which state craves pumpkin spice the most? Probably not the one you would expect.
The East Coast takes the cake – well, pumpkin spice
In 2021, Instacart surveyed Americans to see which states were buying more pumpkin spice products. After comparing each state to the national average for pumpkin spice consumption, the survey found some interesting results. Per Instacart's data map, Hawaii buys the fewest pumpkin spice products, being 65% less likely than the national average.
Connecticut and Utah were closest to the national average, with Connecticut being 2% more likely and Utah 2% less likely to buy pumpkin spice products. And the state that loves pumpkin spice the most? None other than West Virginia, a whopping 122% more likely to enjoy a Krispy Kreme pumpkin spice doughnut than the average American. Iowa follows close behind, being 90% more likely than the national average.
Generally speaking, the Midwest and East Coast regions love pumpkin spice more than the Western U.S. and the Northeast region. To be honest, we're not sure what to make of this information, but it's pretty fun to look at. The pepperoni roll is West Virginia's official state food (per the West Virginia Department of Tourism). Perhaps the state should consider making pumpkin spice its official state spice.