With sales in both dollars and volume at all-time highs, the push to sell pumpkin spice and pumpkin-flavored food and beverages in autumn isn’t likely to let up anytime soon. Nielsen reports that nearly 40% of consumers said last year they bought something pumpkin-spice related, so food manufacturers, restaurants and coffee shops are smart to add the fall flavor to their menu — as much as consumers might roll their eyes.###And just like Christmas, Halloween and other seasonal segments, it seems retailers just can’t help themselves but to push pumpkin spice’s debut earlier and earlier. How this affects overall sales for pumpkin spice items remains to be seen, but so far things are looking promising.###Starbucks wasn’t the only retailer to roll out the pumpkin before consumers had put the beach gear away. Dunkin’ Donuts also introduced its pumpkin-spice coffees before Labor Day, as well as  of course, pumpkin-flavored donuts.###Not to be satisfied with just pumpkin inspired coffee, Starbucks is offering new cookie straws filled with chocolate and pumpkin swhen should you take magnesium glycinatepice. At the grocery store, consumers can find Pumpkin Spice Frosted Flakes, pumpkin spice Cheerios, Lester’s Fixins Pumpkin Pie soda, and even Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts. These items certainly wouldn’t seem to meet the call from millenniadouglas laboratories calcium citratel consumers for healthier and more natural food products, but the lure of that fall flavor is worth indulging in.###Most of us associate good feelings with the flavor. According to 2008 statistics from NPD Group, pumpkin pie is the second most popular in the U.S., just behind apple pie. However, pumpkin pie is only eaten during the fall and winter holidays, while apple pie is consumed all year long. This could give consumers a continual nostalgic tie-in for the pumpkin spice flavor. Its limited availability also could mean consumers don’t take it for granted.###While banking on a bump in sales of all things pumpkin spice related, food companies would do well to note that many consumers are looking for the actual pumpkin experience. Nielsen reports sales of fresh pumpkin hit $121 million last year, up slightly more than 5% in dollar sales and 4.6% in volume sales from the year before. Food categories that novomin nutrapure zinc bisglycinateinclude pumpkin as an ingredient also are flying off shelves at a healthy rate. Nielsen reports sales of these items totaled $1.1is chelated iron better absorbed4 billion last year, up 3.5% year-over-year and up 20% in the past two years.###But before food companies start adding pumpkin ingredients to everything, they should note that nferric pyrophosphate solubility in waterot every idea has sparked sales. Both pumpkin-inspired yogurt and desserts have seen dips in sales, while pumpkin bread saw its highest ever year-over-year sales increase, Nielsen says. And pet food with pumpkin as an ingredient – which is said to be good for fur babies’ digestion — saw more than 100% growth in the past year and a whopping 193% growth in the past two years.###While we can all hope pumpkin spice doesn’t creep too much further into summertime, one should expect retailers and food companies to continue to cash in on its popularity year after year, as surely as leaves turn colors and consumers drag out comfy sweaters.