Few things in life make me truly happy—being married to the same woman for nearly 26 years, knowing that my children have a shot at becoming successful adults, working for the same company for more than a quarter of a century…they're all nice, but none of those things make me really happy. PSLs make me happy. For those not in the know, PSL is the lingo for Pumpkin Spice Latte. The pumpkiny concoction that can be found at Starbucks—but for a limited time only.


Now, the world's largest coffee chain is tinkering with my happiness. In a blog post today, Starbucks said it will add “real pumpkin” and take out caramel coloring from Pumpkin Spice Latte. The ingredient list will now include espresso, milk, pumpkin spice flavored sauce (containing the pumpkin), whipped cream, vanilla syrup and pumpkin spice topping.


Starbucks decided to make the change after conversations with customers and partners, according to the blog. Who are these people and why is Starbucks engaging them? Why spoil a good thing? For health reasons? If I wanted healthy, I'd eat an apple and drink some water. We'll see happens this Fall when Starbuck rolls out the new formula. Will it fall flat like New Coke? We'll find out in a few short weeks. Sometimes, you can take market research a bit too far.