How many cups of coffee are drunk each day?

Coffee is grown in more than 70 countries in a band around the equator often called the coffee belt. Brazil is the largest producer, followed by Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia. The two main species are arabica, prized for its smooth flavor, and robusta, which is stronger, more bitter and contains more caffeine.

Global coffee consumption has grown steadily as coffee culture has spread, especially in Asia. In the United States alone, people drink hundreds of millions of cups a day. In recent years, poor harvests and climate-related weather problems in major growing countries have pushed coffee prices to record highs.

From cherry to cup

Coffee beans are actually the seeds of a red fruit called a coffee cherry. After harvesting, the seeds are removed, dried and roasted, which develops their flavor and brown color. It takes the beans from roughly 70 coffee cherries to make a single cup of brewed coffee, depending on the method.

Did You Know?

According to legend, coffee was discovered in Ethiopia by a goat herder named Kaldi, who noticed his goats became energetic after eating coffee berries.