Starbucks introduced Blonde Roast in 2012 as a lighter-roasted coffee option.
The launch expanded Starbucks’ roast range beyond the darker flavor profile for which the company was widely known. Blonde Roast coffees use a shorter roasting approach than darker roasts, preserving a lighter body and more approachable flavor profile.
Starbucks had offered lighter coffees before the formal Blonde Roast platform, but the 2012 launch made the category a major part of the company’s retail and packaged-coffee lineup. The name refers to roast level, not the color of the coffee beverage itself.
Blonde Roast is sometimes confused with a particular bean origin or a milk-based drink. It is a Starbucks roast category used across several coffee products.