We start the journey to coffee history in Ethiopia

In general, the origin of coffee cultivation is not historically documented. However, the custom of drinking a hot brew made from roasted coffee beans is said to have originated in Ethiopia. It has been proven that the plant genus Coffea originated in tropical Africa. The Ethiopian highlands are considered to be the place of origin of the Coffea Arabica bean. Coffee was first mentioned there in the 9th century.

From Ethiopia, the coffee probably came to Arabia through slave traders. Ancient writings show that the Yemenis already cultivated coffee for the first time in the Middle Ages. In the port city of Mocha in Yemen, they were created in the 14th and 15th centuries. The first coffee plantations were established in the 19th century. The term “coffee” is derived from the Arabic “Kahwe” or “Qahwa”, which means something like life force or strength.

Spread of coffee & move to Europe

From the middle of the 15th century, coffee reached the Egyptian metropolis of Cairo via the Saudi Arabian cities of Mecca and Medina. A crucial point in coffee history. From then on, the Ottoman Empire began to expand in the 16th century. Coffee conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt and southeastern Europe. The first coffee houses sprang up everywhere.

For years, Arabia, especially Yemen, had a monopoly on the coffee trade. The Arabs had only delivered raw beans to their trading partners and doused them with hot water beforehand. This made the beans unable to germinate and could no longer be grown in other regions. The Arabs kept the little state secret downright.

It was not until the 17th century that the history of coffee changed. With the beginning of colonization, the coffee monopoly of the Arab world fell and coffee found its way into Europe. More and more travelers and pilgrims reported about the high-energy drink and brought small amounts of the coffee with them to their home countries. Due to the expansion of the trade routes, bags of coffee beans were soon arriving in the major port cities such as Venice, London, Amsterdam and Hamburg, and coffee became a coveted drink for the worldly rich in these cities. Little by little, numerous coffee houses opened in Europe and North America. Coffee cultivation also expanded suddenly.

Coffee is becoming a popular mass drink

Once in Europe, the triumphant advance of coffee was unstoppable. Coffee became a coveted drink among the urban elites and nobility, because coffee was initially considered a pure luxury good. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that coffee gradually became a popular and mass drink.

This development in coffee history can be traced back to the mass production of coffee on plantations in South America and the increasing purchasing power of the working class. The coffee trade became much easier due to the advancing industrialization and the broad working class also experienced a relative prosperity. While coffee was still a luxury item for the aristocratic upper class, workers particularly appreciate the powerful and invigorating effect of coffee.

Industrial finished products were consumed for the first time in the 20th century. In wartime, soldiers were provided with easy-to-prepare and long-lasting instant coffee. Little by little, coffee became one of the most important commodities in the world through different preparation methods and coffee variations - and it is to this day.