10 branded reusable coffee cups perfect for your PSL

Written by Natasha Ithildin | Oct 22, 2024 9:30:00 AM

Have you had your yearly PSL yet?

And by that, we mean a Promotional Spooky Latte, of course!🎃

Since 2003, Pumpkin Spice Lattes have defined a season. In 2022, Merriam-Webster even officially added pumpkin spice to the dictionary. Starbucks, the coffeehouse, has sold over 600 million cups of its signature autumn drink, with no signs of it falling out of flavour favour anytime soon.

With that in mind, it would 100% be in your brand’s best interest to make sure your team have the perfect promotional reusable cup to hand for their daily cup of seasonal magic *autumnal sparkles*.

via GIPHY

And that’s why we’re rebranding the PSL to Promotional Spooky Lattes this autumn - because your PSL will taste even better from a branded reusable coffee cup - promise.

Are you ready to find your perfect PSL reusable coffee cup this season?

Check out our extensive range of reusable coffee cups and drinkware for that spicy brand impact.

What’s a PSL?

A PSL, or Pumpkin Spice Latte, is a coffee-based autumnal treat created by Starbucks.

Nicknamed the PSL after the three-letter beverage code written on the cups by baristas, it’s the unofficial sign that autumn is here.

Made with real pumpkin, Starbucks’ Signature Espresso, steamed milk and a combination of tasty fall spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves), it’s topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices for that authentic autumnal taste sensation.

via GIPHY

When is PSL season?

Starbucks usually launches its Pumpkin Spice Latte at the end of August/ at the beginning of September. It then stays until the Christmas drinks launch in November.

Pumpkin Spice is OLD

Even though the beverage was made popular by Starbucks, the idea of pumpkin spice is a lot older than you’d think.

It first appeared in the 18th century when a group of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice) were mixed together to create Pumpkin Spice.

These were sold together in pre-blended mix packets for bakers in the 1930s. At the time, Food & Wine magazine called this ‘revolutionary’. But, surprisingly, the flavour wasn’t super popular like it is now.

How to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte

And you don’t have to always make a trek to your favourite coffee house for your daily hit of spicy autumn goodness. Starbucks has been kind enough to share their top-secret recipe on how you can make your favourite Pumpkin Spice Latte at home.

Why are Pumpkin Spice Lattes so popular?

The PSL is without a doubt Starbucks’ most popular beverage of all time. It’s estimated that sales of the PSL alone earn Starbucks approximately $500 million a year. Considering Starbucks’ annual revenue is $36 billion, this is quite a big chunk on just a single drink alone.

But there are three very simple reasons for this: They taste good, they look good and they are EVERYWHERE.

1. They’re super tasty
If you’ve never had a Pumpkin Spice Latte (...please rectify this immediately) then you’ve seriously been missing out.

A Pumpkin Spice Latte is a mix-up between all your autumn favourites and your much-needed daily coffee hit.

But you don’t have to just take our word for it, the PSL taste is backed by science.

Peter Dukes, then a product manager at Starbucks, led a small group in brainstorming a new drink to add to the coffeehouse’s fall espresso menu.

“We started with a huge brainstorming list and filled the wall with ideas,” said Peter.

The team filled the research and development space (a.k.a. the “Liquid Lab”) with fall decor and pumpkin pie to get their creative juices flowing before landing on the latte recipe that would change autumn beverages forever.

“There was a desire to choose a really unique name, such as the Fall Harvest Latte,” said Dukes. “We ultimately ended up landing on Pumpkin Spice Latte because the spices play a really important role in bringing out the flavours of pumpkin, while also highlighting the espresso in the cup.”

Science at its tastiest.

2. Iconically instagrammable
Even though the PSL was released in 2003, it wasn’t really until the advent of social media that the pumpkin spice craze really took off.

When Facebook and Twitter arrived in 2006, customers began sharing their love of the PSL online, and it took on an identity of its own (literally - it has its own X handle and Instagram account as of 2014 with thousands of followers).

“With the arrival of social media, it just took off on a whole new level.”
Peter Dukes, the creator of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks

Even today, both TikTok and Instagram are full of users sharing their seasonal sips, with more than 3,000 posts a day including the #PSL.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Starbucks UK (@starbucksuk)

Visually, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is iconic. With its pumpkin-orange hue, topped with a mountain of whipped cream and sprinkled with that pumpkin spice goodness, it’s an eye-catching beverage.

And the Starbucks marketing team are quick to play up the PSL’s appeal online.

When a zoo in New York went viral with its livestream of the birth of their baby giraffe in 2017, Starbucks were quick to jump on the trend and livestream the start of their PSL season in a similar fashion.

A seasonal monopoly
It’s been estimated that since its launch in 2003, 424 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes have been sold globally.

When the PSL is available in stores, it’s officially the start of autumn.

Starbucks have legit taken ownership of a season, with a seasonal monopoly thanks to the hype behind their product.

“Within the first week of the market test, we knew we had a winner,” Dukes said. “I remember calling store managers on the phone to see how the new beverage was doing, and we could hear the excitement in their voices.”

And, (thanks to Starbucks) by the 2010s, pumpkin spice was everywhere. From candles and diffusers to bath bombs and bread, pumpkin spice now defines the autumnal season.

10 popular branded reusable coffee cups

If you’re looking for a way to make your team’s PSL season the best yet, go big. Go reusable.

A branded reusable coffee cup is the perfect pairing for this autumnal superhero.

With a social following already established, get your brand online with a promotional reusable coffee cup showcasing the season’s must-have beverage.

Here are 10 of our most popular promotional reusable coffee cups. Each is customisable, with a cup for every budget (so you can spend more of said budget on what really matters…more PSLs).

Promotional reusable mugs doing more

1. Pal Mug
The pal mug is double insulated and keeps hot drinks hot to the final sip, perfect for those cold autumn morning walks. It is puncture-resistant and rust-resistant, making it ideal for outdoor adventures.

2. Ocean brew flask
Need something with a bit more… oompf? Have you met Ocean Bottle’s Brew coffee flask yet? With all the plastic-preventing joy of their water bottles, you can now enjoy that feel-good feeling with your morning brew.

3. Circular Cup - 16Oz - Grey & Ink Black
The world's first reusable cup made from other cups! Following the same premise as Circular & Co.’s bottle, the coffee cup is all about the design. This mug isn’t made to sit in a cupboard getting dusty; it’s made to be used again and again! And great news, after 10 years of use, your cup can be recycled into another Circular & Co. cup and the cycle continues.

Luxury branded reusable coffee cups

4. Camelbak Horizon 350 ml Vacuum Insulated Camp Mug
This on-trend mug is just calling out for a hat of whipped cream. Crafted with double-walled vacuum-insulated stainless steel, the Horizon 350 ml camp mug will keep your PSL hot for 4 hours - perfect for that long autumn afternoon stroll.

5. Grs Rpp Stainless Steel Cork Coffee Tumbler
For a more understated PSL experience, start your day with this double-wall coffee mug with unique cork detail.

6. Mood® Vacuum Coffee Cup
For when you want to feel like you’re drinking out of a pumpkin, too. This 330ml vacuum-insulated coffee cup is made from stainless steel and available in a range of popular colours.

7. Nordia 400 ml Double-Wall Recycled Mug
Going on a hike? The stylish Nordia mug is the ideal companion thanks to its handle. Its lid also has a sliding closure, making this mug perfect for enjoying your PSL on the go.

Classic printed reusable coffee cups

8. Paddington Double Wall Travel Cup
Want a cup reminiscent of the ones available to go in coffee shops? This travel cup will give you that authentic Pumpkin Spice Latte experience.

9. Barista Cup
Because your Pumpkin Spice Latte is an accessory, not just a beverage. Bougie.

10. Reusable Coffee Cup With Screw Lid 350ml
The absolute classic. For when you just NEED your pumpkin coffee fix. Fast.

Check out: Products with a Positive Impact

Promotional Spooky Lattes all year round

Looking for that extra boost of coffee-infused branding power?

Check out our extensive range of reusable coffee cups and drinkware for that ultimate brand impact.

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