Where does coffee come from?
Coffee comes from the seeds of the coffee plant, which first grew wild in Ethiopia. People in Yemen began brewing coffee as a drink in the 1400s.
A legend says an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi noticed his goats became energetic after eating coffee berries. The story is probably a myth, but wild coffee plants do come from the forests of Ethiopia. By the 15th century, Sufi monasteries in Yemen were roasting and brewing coffee to stay awake during night prayers.
Coffee spread through the Ottoman Empire, and coffeehouses opened in Istanbul in the 1500s. From there it reached Europe in the 1600s. Coffeehouses in London, Paris and Vienna became places to meet, read news and do business.
Where it grows today
Coffee now grows in a tropical belt around the equator. Brazil is by far the largest producer, followed by Vietnam, Colombia and Indonesia. The two main types are Arabica, prized for flavor, and Robusta, which has more caffeine.
Did You Know?
Coffee beans are not really beans. They are the seeds of a red or purple fruit often called a coffee cherry.