The term habesha grocery store in Switzerland often evokes a modest shop, a corner of a building, an inconspicuous window. Yet these places are much more than points of sale. They embody the living memory of a people in the diaspora, an invisible thread linking their roots and the future.
According to the FSO, the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities in Switzerland number more than 40,000 people. In both urban and suburban areas, habesha grocery stores have established themselves as cultural hubs. They distribute rare products, but above all, they provide continuity. They allow people to recreate a home, even in exile.
๐ Habesha grocery stores in Switzerland: between local presence and living memory
Some are run by mothers.
Others by young people born here, who want to continue what their parents built.
In these habesha grocery stores , you find much more than products: you find a presence. A trace. A gentle voice that speaks to those who know.
Teff, berbere, coral lentils, Sidamo coffee, black seed soap, incenseโฆ
But also objects not found elsewhere: injera dishes, spice boxes, small utensils from Eritrea or Ethiopia, full of ancient gestures.
What is sometimes surprising is the diversity of customers :
A Swiss student in search of natural alternatives,
a Lebanese customer who came to get black cumin,
an Eritrean driver picking up a package for his mother.
A scent of convergence , discreet but real.
๐ Each grocery store has its voice
They don't look alike.
In Lausanne , Malley's is known for its fresh weekend injera.
In Zurich , in Wiedikon, you can find homemade bakhoor .
In Geneva , another store also acts as a relay for shipments to Addis.
These places do not follow a model , but needs.
Their schedules adjust to the flow of the diaspora.
Their assortment evolves according to what a parent brings back, or what a loyal customer requests.
But often they remain invisible .
Poorly referenced. Little online presence. And yet central.
๐ This is where ZEKREKA comes in
ZEKREKA does not replace these places.
ZEKREKA extends their gesture.
By making these products accessible online, with care, with context, with respect, we amplify what already exists.
We highlight, without erasing.
Because digital, when well thought out, can honor tradition .
๐ Discreet but determined logistics
Yes, some products are sensitive. Others require specific conditions.
But every week, dozens of packages leave Switzerland for France, Belgium or Germany.
Families order teff.
Young mothers are looking for shiro.
An entrepreneur sends coffee to his customers.
The Habesha grocery store goes mobile.
She travels without losing her anchor.
๐ฝ๏ธ No nostalgia. Momentum.
It's not about memories.
It's a silent culinary laboratory .
A girl born in Lausanne who prepares teff pancakes with Swiss herbs.
A young man from Basel adding berbere to an Italian tomato sauce.
This is not fusion. This is intimate readjustment .
At ZEKREKA, we look at this with respect.
And we support this movement.
FAQ
Where are the Habesha grocery stores in Switzerland?
In Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich, Basel, Bern.
Often in multicultural neighborhoods, close to the life flows of the diaspora.
Can these products be ordered online?
Yes. ZEKREKA allows you to order from Switzerland and throughout Europe. The products are sorted, described, and explained. You don't buy blindly.
What products can be found in a habesha grocery store?
Teff, berbere, niter kibbeh, Sidamo coffee, coral lentils, incense, black seed soap, sorghum flour, and sometimes even traditional utensils.
Are the products organic?
Some do. Others come from small artisanal chains. At ZEKREKA, we always emphasize the origin and production method.
Is this reserved for the community?
No way.
The doors are open to all those who seek truth, nature, and history in their everyday products.
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