Peter, Peter, pumpkin ... daddy? Meet the 'father' of the pumpkin spice latte

For many, the arrival of fall means seasonal traditions like bundling up in flannel and enjoying an apple cider donut, maybe cooking up a big pot of chili, or raking up a big pile of leaves and jumping into them.

But for some fall superfans, all of that is just window dressing when set against the return of that sweet, autumnal nectar of the gods — the pumpkin spice latte.

Twenty years ago, Starbucks debuted the gourd-inspired beverage, and kicked off a pumpkin spice renaissance. Today, you can find pumpkin spice in almost anything. From dog treats to caviar, to candles and cosmetics, pumpkin spice has become an autumnal mainstay.

It’s popularity surge is thanks in large part to Peter Dukes, a director with the market strategy team within Store Development at Starbucks. Back in 2003, he led the Starbucks espresso beverage team and he’s credited as the “father” of the pumpkin spice latte.

As Dukes recollects, the journey to the pumpkin spice latte began due to the success of another seasonal drink at Starbucks — the peppermint mocha. Leadership wanted a seasonal drink for the fall.