Starbucks Offers Free Coffee Samples in U.S. to Promote New Blonde Roast

Popular coffee chain, Starbucks, is offering free samples to customers until Saturday in an effort to promote their newest roast. The company's latest blend, the blonde roast, debuted Tuesday in stores and supermarkets across America.

Consumers will have a chance to taste the new blonde roast from Jan. 12 to Jan. 14 in the U.S.

Starbuck's website advises consumers to come to the store for a free coffee tasting and vote for the roast you love most. The company has a poll on their site where customers can vote for their favorite blend: blonde roast, medium roast, dark roast or love them all.

We'll even send you home with a little something as a thank you, the company claims on their website.

In studies, Starbucks found that 40 percent of American coffee drinkers prefer lighter roasts. Starbucks' reputation is built on dark roasts, but the company hopes to keep up with other chains that offer different blends. McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts have both offered lighter options in the past.

Starbucks hopes that the new blonde blend will appeal to customers who prefer more mellow coffee. The company expects to gain $1 billion in annual sales from the roast.

Fans have responded positively to the new blonde roast on Twitter.

Surprised, I usually like dark roasts but #starbucksblonde is my favorite! Ami Imbrogno tweeted.

Surprisingly, I'm really liking the new #starbucksblonde roast @Starbucks! I think I have a new favorite! Alice Leang concurred.

The company most recently added a new brewed coffee to its collection in 2008. The medium-roast brew, known as Pike Place, gave Starbucks a bump in sales Chief Executive Howard Schultz claims.