Coffee has steadily gained popularity over centuries, becoming the world's most traded tropical agricultural product, as the International Coffee Organization (ICO) reported.
With production spanning approximately 70 countries globally, the coffee industry, in 2010 alone, generated 26 million jobs and boasted $15.4 billion worth of exports across 52 countries where it is abundantly produced.
The immense global demand and the burgeoning coffee culture have positioned coffee as the most influential beverage worldwide. Its rise to prominence, perhaps fueled by its caffeine content, distinguishes it from other crops like grapes, olives, and tea. Of all cash crops, coffee remarkably took the shortest time to captivate the world.
The origins of coffee legends trace back to the 10th century, with tales suggesting that Ethiopian sheep, excited by coffee beans, led shepherds to discover the plant. While this story remains unverified, wild coffee inevitably originated in the Kaffa province of southwestern Ethiopia. In this region's alpine rainforest grows the Arabica tree, producing a fruit known as the coffee cherry.
The coffee cherry earns its name from its vibrant red hue when ripened. Its skin is slightly bitter, but the inner "cherry" is lovely.
Historians propose that the coffee cherry, initially considered a food rather than a drink, was mashed by local Africans a millennium ago, creating a protein-rich sustenance.
This sustenance provided essential nutrients and proved to be easily portable, gaining widespread popularity in East Africa during that era.
High in protein, roasted coffee cherries emit an appealing, enduring flavor. However, Their value lies in being Arabica coffee's ancestors, constituting 70% of global coffee production. All Arabica coffee trees worldwide trace their lineage to the Ethiopian coffee tree.
Arabs emerged as pioneers in drinking coffee and cultivating, trading, and establishing cafes. Centuries ago, the Arab world witnessed the birth of "Kaveh Kanes," the world's first cafe.
These cafes became popular gathering spots, fostering conversation, business exchange, and entertainment through music and dance.
Eventually, coffeehouses proliferated throughout the Arab world, with the first in Damascus in 1530 and many more in Cairo. By 1555, coffee shops had also found a place in Istanbul.
In the 17th century, the Dutch extended coffee cultivation beyond the Arab world. Dutch quickly introduced Europeans to the legendary black beverage.
With a steady coffee supply, coffeehouses proliferated across Europe. In 1652, coffee reached England, with Oxford hosting the first café, and by 1675, over 3,000 cafes dotted the UK.
Today, whether at home, in the office, in public spaces, or at roadside vending machines, Europeans and Americans find it hard to imagine life without coffee, consuming it around the clock.
A cup of robust coffee encapsulates a rich historical journey and serves as a microcosm of human civilization's evolving history.
