The Weeknd announces coffee deal to celebrate Ethiopian roots

The new brand, named Samra Origins in honour of The Weeknd’s mother, Samra, is a tribute to his family’s heritage with a shared respect for Ethiopia.

“Ethiopian culture is an important part of my identity and I’m proud to work alongside the Blue Bottle Coffee team to shine a light on Ethiopian traditions, values and of course, coffee,” The Weeknd said.

“Growing up, I watched my mother perform buna tetu, a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. This sensory experience helped shape my understanding of community and taught me to always honour my roots.

“Samra Origins is a true passion project that I hope will inspire curiosity and encourage support for Ethiopia’s people, while also spreading the warmth and friendship so ingrained in Ethiopian culture.”

Blue Bottle Coffee CEO Karl Strovink says Ethiopian and its coffee hold a special place within our Blue Bottle community.

“Since Blue Bottle Coffee’s inception in 2002, we’ve sourced coffee from Ethiopia,” he said. “In 2023, Ethiopia is still consistently among our top origins by volume. I’m excited that we’re extending our commitment there with Samra Origins so we can continue to share the best of Ethiopian coffee and support our network of producers in the country.”

As part of The Weeknd’s humanitarian efforts, Blue Bottle will donate to the singer’s XO Humanitarian Fund, administered by World Food Program USA. The fund supports the United Nations World Food Programme’s lifesaving emergency operations in hunger hotspots around the world, with a special focus on Ethiopia where an estimated 11.8 million people require urgent humanitarian food assistance.

Since its launch last year, the XO Humanitarian Fund has raised and pledged $5m to provide food and support to millions of people experiencing hunger around the globe.

Born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye to Ethiopian immigrants in Canada, The Weeknd’s strong ties to his family’s heritage ignited his passion about Ethiopia and giving back to communities in need.

Coffee plays an integral part in Ethiopian traditions, especially through the time-honoured buna tetu coffee ceremony. Ethiopia is known as the birthplace of coffee and continues to set the world’s standard for expressive flavour. The country’s high mountains, cool climate and shaded forest canopies provide ideal conditions to produce high-quality coffees. With approximately 2.2 million farms nationwide, coffee is also a major cornerstone of the country’s economy.