Blue Bottle, The Weeknd Spotlight Ethiopian Coffee Culture With New Collab

Nestle-owned Blue Bottle Coffee is partnering with multi-Grammy award winner The Weeknd (born Abel Tesfaye) and his record label, XO, to create a new line of premium Ethiopian coffees that honor the “Starboy” singer’s family roots.

The new release — Samra Origins, named in honor of Tesfaye’s mother — is meant as a homage to Ethiopian coffee history and culture, and a nod to his parents’ country of birth. The line represents “curating and crafting coffees that encapsulate Ethiopian coffee excellence,” the company said.

“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,” said The Weeknd, whose CPG interest also includes stakes in Koia and Hero Bread. “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 honor 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.”

Acknowledged by historians as the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia is consistently amongst Blue Bottle’s top origins by volume, the company said; the nation itself boasts 2.2 million active farms, producing around 3% of the global coffee market. In a statement, Blue Bottle CEO Karl Strovink described Ethiopian coffee as “truly in a class of its own.”

“Since Blue Bottle Coffee’s inception in 2002, we’ve sourced coffee from Ethiopia,” Strovink? 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.”

Samra Origins’ first limited release — Exceedingly Rare Ethiopia Wolde Faye Koricha COE #7 ($65 per 100 gram tin) — will be available exclusively online starting on May 9, with the waitlist now open. Honoring “centuries of traditions originated and perfected by Ethiopian coffee farmers,” the lot uses a natural process to capture notes of fresh fruit and florals native to the region. The coffee was selected among the top 30 coffees by premium coffee competition and appraiser Ethiopia Cup of Excellence (COE) in 2022.

Expect to see more from Samra Origins in the coming months. During cupping sessions, The Weeknd worked with Benjamin Brewer, Blue Bottle’s Head of Innovation & Quality, to select coffees similar to those the artist’s mother brews at home to calibrate a blend that is set to debut this summer online and in select Blue Bottle cafes in the U.S., which will also offer it as a cold brew.

The release also incorporates a charitable component: Blue Bottle will make a donation to The Weeknd’s XO Humanitarian Fund, administered by World Food Program USA, which supports emergency operations by the United Nations World Food Programme, with a special focus on Ethiopia where an estimated 20 million people require urgent humanitarian food assistance.

“We are grateful to have The Weeknd and Blue Bottle Coffee’s steadfast support as we work to feed families in hunger hotspots worldwide,” said Barron Segar, President and CEO of World Food Program USA. “Private sector partners like Blue Bottle Coffee are critical in generating both public awareness and funding to save the 43 million people on the brink of starvation across 51 countries.”