Investment
Saraye Coffee: The Black Woman-Owned Brand Giving By Ayah A.
SARA GEBREMEDHIN MEET SARA GEBREMEDHIN, OWNER and founder of Saraye Coffee. A first generation Ethiopian American raised in Seattle, Sara grew up in the Tigray community. From a young age, she has been educated on Ethiopian history and immersed in the culture. “My parents did a great job of teaching me about my roots and family history,” she told Travel Noire. “I have always felt like I belonged to something bigger than America, something unique and rare. Saraye Coffee embodies what I have been taught my whole life. It’s not of me or a copy, it’s in me.” Saraye Coffee officially launched in January, however, the idea and planning began in 2018. “My partner is an entrepreneur and at the time, was opening a restaurant in Uganda. I was in Los Angeles pursuing my passion of acting and modeling and I was tired of working jobs just to pass time and pay bills. I
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knew I had more to offer, so I challenged myself.” “I put all my ideas to the test, and coffee felt like home. It felt like my mother and my grandmother back in Seattle catching up and laughing over coffee. I am a coffee lover at heart and I was making trips to Starbucks at least two to three times a day.” “No shade to Starbucks, but I remember being there after I decided to start my own company, and as I was waiting in line I noticed they sell Ethiopian coffee and have plenty of wall art representing the farms and culture of Ethiopia.” “Before I used to think ‘wow, isn’t that cool, my people are getting the recognition they deserve. Then it switched to, I can represent my people and support my land from the heart. I can tell our story.'” Sara’s love of coffee developed at a young age. In Ethiopian culture, there are traditional coffee
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www.africabusinessassociation.org
