The Nostalgic Taste Revolution That’s Changing Morning Routines
Sometimes the most brilliant ideas come from the simplest moments. Picture this: you’re enjoying your favorite childhood cereal, and that sweet, creamy milk left at the bottom of the bowl tastes better than anything else on earth.
Launching nationwide today, the all-new Cereal N’ Milk Latte transforms that memory into a sweet, nostalgic sip, blended with cereal milk and espresso. This isn’t just another seasonal drink – it’s a complete departure from the usual coffee shop offerings.
The Cereal N’ Milk Phenomenon Hits Dunkin’ Stores
Espresso combined with marshmallow flavored cereal milk, made with real cereal for that bottom of the bowl goodness. The drink represents something much deeper than a simple flavor combination. It taps into our collective childhood memories and transforms them into a sophisticated adult beverage.
The idea came from the best part of eating cereal, that last bit of milk. We all remember finishing a bowl just to enjoy those final, sweet sips, which inspired our new Cereal N’ Milk Latte. With our very own cereal milk blended with rich espresso, the Cereal N’ Milk Latte brings that marshmallow-flavored, bottom-of-the-bowl taste in every sip.
Pumpkin Spice Makes Its Triumphant Return
Fall wouldn’t be complete without the iconic orange-colored drinks that signal the end of summer. No fall at Dunkin’ is complete without pumpkin. The iconic Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, hot or iced, is back to spice up the season, made with flavors of sweet pumpkin, vanilla and warm fall spices, then finished with whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a dusting of cinnamon sugar.
The timing couldn’t be better for pumpkin spice lovers. With Dunkin’s fall menu available now, it has beaten out PSL-trendsetter Starbucks to the punch this year, with the upscale coffee chain releasing its fall menu on Aug. 26. This strategic early release gives Dunkin’ a competitive advantage in the heated fall beverage market.
The Merchandising Magic Behind Cereal Culture
Dunkin’ isn’t just stopping at beverages – they’re creating an entire cultural movement. And because one good throwback deserves another, Dunkin’ is dropping a limited-edition Cereal N’ Milk Latte-inspired merch collection at DunkinGear.com starting today at 9 a.m. Taking inspiration from the golden era of cereal culture, the exclusive drop includes a crewneck ($45), graphic tee ($30) and trucker hat ($20).
This merchandise strategy shows how seriously Dunkin’ takes this launch. By creating collectible items around the cereal milk concept, they’re betting that this nostalgic trend will have staying power beyond just the fall season.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Expanding Dunkin’ Empire
Celebrity partnerships in the food industry have become increasingly sophisticated, and Sabrina Carpenter’s collaboration with Dunkin’ exemplifies this trend perfectly. The season gets even sweeter as two-time GRAMMY Award-winning global superstar Sabrina Carpenter is back with more Daydream Refresher flavors to turn any fall afternoon into a little escape.
Singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter is back for an encore with her Daydream Refresher collab with Dunkin’. The drink is crafted with oat milk and topped with cold foam and now comes in a trio of flavors, with mixed berry joining mango and strawberry. This expansion shows how successful her initial partnership has been, creating multiple revenue streams for both parties.
The Billion-Dollar Pumpkin Spice Industry
The numbers behind pumpkin spice’s popularity are absolutely staggering. More than 1,000 “pumpkin” items have hit shelves before July 15, and with good reason: the “pumpkin spice industry” was valued at $1.1 billion in 2023. This massive market valuation explains why brands race to release their fall menus earlier each year.
According to Kearny research, 66% of consumers experience positive overall feelings toward pumpkin spice, while 60% consider pumpkin spice to be “highly influential” toward their purchasing decisions. These statistics reveal that pumpkin spice isn’t just a flavor – it’s a powerful marketing tool that drives actual purchasing behavior.
Traffic Surge Statistics That Tell the Real Story
The data behind seasonal menu launches reveals just how significant these products are for coffee chains. Visits to Starbucks and Dunkin’ have increased since the respective seasonal launches of their fall beverage menus, a Placer.ai report finds. Starbucks’ traffic rose nearly 26% in the week following its fall menu launch, while Dunkin’s visits jumped 9.5%. Fall menu traffic bumps at these brands have increased each year, indicating that the popularity of these specialty products is growing.
During Starbucks’ investor day last week, CEO Howard Schultz said the coffee chain recorded its best sales week in its 51-year history after it introduced its fall drink lineup. This kind of performance data shows why the fall menu has become such a critical business period for coffee chains.
New Bakery Items That Complete the Fall Experience
Joining the pumpkin lineup this year is the all-new Iced Pumpkin Loaf, a rich pumpkin and vanilla flavored pound cake topped with cream cheese icing. Individually wrapped for on-the-go convenience, it’s an instant seasonal classic. This addition shows Dunkin’s commitment to creating a complete fall experience, not just limiting themselves to beverages.
Guests can pair their favorite pumpkin sips with the returning Pumpkin Bakery lineup, featuring the Pumpkin Cake Donut and Pumpkin MUNCHKINS® Donut Hole Treats, glazed to perfection for that unmistakable Dunkin’ pumpkin fix. The comprehensive nature of these offerings creates multiple purchase opportunities per customer visit.
Behind the Scenes: How Menu Innovation Actually Happens
The development of these seasonal items doesn’t happen overnight. Anthony Epter, vice president of menu innovation at Dunkin’, said the idea came from the best part of eating cereal, that last bit of milk. With our very own cereal milk blended with rich espresso, the Cereal N’ Milk Latte brings that marshmallow-flavored, bottom-of-the-bowl taste in every sip.
This insight into the creative process shows how brands are mining childhood experiences for adult products. It’s not enough to just create new flavors – successful menu items need to tap into emotional connections and memories that drive purchasing decisions.
Looking Ahead: Halloween and Beyond
The fall menu strategy doesn’t end with August launches. As for the October releases, Dunkin’ is rolling out its specialty (and spooky) Halloween food and drinks on the 15th, including the new Candy Bar Signature Latte and the Halloween Munchkin Bucket. The Spider Specialty Donut and Halloween Sprinkle Takeover will also be back.
The Candy Bar Latte is precisely what it sounds like: trick-or-treating in a cup. It’s made with a candy bar swirl, milk, espresso, whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and candy pieces to top it all off. This shows how Dunkin’ is planning their seasonal strategy in multiple phases, keeping customers engaged throughout the entire fall season rather than just the initial launch period.
