Step aside, pumpkin spiced latte. Land O Lakes^® Pumpkin Pie Spice and Maple Me Crazy^™ butter spreads are back for a limited time. The return is extra sweet this fall following a year hiatus due to the pandemic. So how were these beloved seasonal products created? We spoke to the scientists who helped develop them, Lucy Fultz and Elizabeth Glenn.
Let’s start with Pumpkin Pie Spice butter spread, which launched in 2016 as Land O’Lakes’ first seasonal product. Lucy and Elizabeth say it was a no-brainer to take advantage of the pumpkin craze and come up with a product to get customers and retail partners excited every fall. The first step was partnering with their Culinary Center colleague, Ann Stuart, to do a competitive landscape review of other pumpkin-flavored products already on the market.
“One of the first questions we were asking ourselves is do we use real pumpkin,” says Elizabeth. “Then we needed to figure out what kind of feeling we wanted to evoke with our product as well as how people would use it.”
Early in the process, the scientists realized real pumpkin and butter were not the best match, so they chose to focus on the pumpkin pie spice flavors we know and love.  After three months of tweaking, Lucy developed the final formula, which is a mix of ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar, clove and, of course, Land O Lakes^® Butter.
Fast forward to 2019, when the butter team was tasked with developing another fall-flavored treat.
“Maple-flavored butter was a favorite option that we had been wanting to bring to life for a while, since butter and maple syrup are favorite flavors for breakfast,” says Lucy. “The key was developing a balanced recipe that is indulgent and flavorful. I think we did that successfully.”
Both Pumpkin Pie Spice and Maple Me Crazy^™ butter spreads have nearly all 5-star reviews on the Land O’Lakes product website. Their return has even caught the attention of People Magazine and Delish.
To further promote these products, the Land O Lakes^® brand marketing team is also reaching out to influencers who have been incorporating these butter spreads in their fall recipes on their social media pages. In addition, the team is offering shopper incentives and featuring the products across the company’s social platforms.
“These products are so popular because people want fun and easy ways to highlight the season,” says Elizabeth. “Comfort foods can create those fun little memories, whether you’re making pancakes in the morning or baking on the weekends with your kids. They’re tasty treats that turn a normal day into a special occasion.”
Remember, these seasonal butter spreads are only available until supplies last. Visit the where to buy link for Pumpkin Pie Spice and Maple Me Crazy^™ butter spreads on landolakes.com to find the products in a store near you.