The origin of coffee has been a topic of much debate, with the most widely circulated version being as follows:
Many believe that the word "coffee" originates from the place called Kaffa in Ethiopia. According to legend, a shepherd boy observed his goats dancing joyfully after eating coffee beans. Curious, he tried the fruit himself and discovered that it filled him with energy and vigor. Though some consider this story to be a myth, at least a thousand years ago, coffee was already being discovered in Africa (Arabica originated in South Sudan and Ethiopia, while Robusta came from West Africa).
By the 15th century, coffee began to be cultivated in the Yemeni region. A group of Islamic devotees drank a "tea" made from coffee fruit (also known as Arabian wine) to help them stay awake during nighttime prayers. By the 16th century, coffee had spread to Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.
The earliest Arab traders who traded coffee were quite protective of it. When selling coffee, they would first boil the raw beans to prevent others from planting them. Later, in the early 17th century, Islamic ascetics secretly brought coffee seeds to India. In 1699, the Dutch East India Company sent seeds to Indonesia, where they were successfully cultivated. These seeds were then transported to the botanical garden in Amsterdam, and saplings were sent to Louis XIV of France in 1713, becoming the origin of coffee in Central and South America.
In 1727, a Portuguese military officer smuggled coffee seeds into Brazil, thus starting Brazil's coffee industry (in 1907, Brazil's coffee production accounted for 97% of the world's output).
In 1971, Starbucks opened its first store in Seattle, beginning to sell high-quality roasted coffee beans. Coffee began to be seen as a luxury rather than a necessity.
In 2006, the sales of specialty coffee accounted for 40% of the United States market. Through stories woven together by producers, importers, roasters, and baristas, customers were provided with a unique experience.
To this day, people consume over 2 billion cups of coffee daily, with the coffee industry's annual transaction volume exceeding $120 billion, making it the second-largest industry in the world, only after oil. Coffee has gradually become associated with fashion and modern life, evolving into a cultural phenomenon.
Whether you're chasing flavors or savoring the ritual of grinding coffee, start your coffee journey now!
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