The Origin and Evolution of Coffee
Table of Contents
There are many legends about the origin of coffee, but the most well-known story traces back to Ethiopia.
1.1. The Discovery in Ethiopia
In the 9th century, a young goat herder named Kaldi was said to be the first person to discover the coffee plant while tending his flock on the highlands of Kaffa, Ethiopia.
He noticed that his goats became unusually energetic and lively after eating red and yellow berries from a certain shrub. Curious, Kaldi tried the berries himself and felt a surge of alertness and energy.
Kaldi brought the berries to a local monastery, where the monks, believing them to be the “fruit of the devil,” threw them into the fire. However, as the beans roasted, they released a pleasant aroma that filled the room. The monks retrieved the roasted beans, ground them, and mixed them with hot water — creating the first cup of coffee. After drinking it, they found themselves more awake and able to pray through the night.
The drink quickly spread throughout the region, and the beverage was named “coffee,” derived from Kaffa — the place of its discovery. From Ethiopia, coffee began its journey eastward, eventually reaching the Arabian Peninsula, where its global journey truly began.
1.2. The First Stop — The Arabian Peninsula
Coffee was cultivated and traded in Arabia, and by the 15th century, it was being grown in Yemen.
By the 16th century, it had spread to Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.
Coffee was not only consumed at home but also in public coffee houses known as qahveh khaneh. These became social hubs where people gathered to drink coffee, play chess, listen to music, read the news, and discuss business or politics.
As thousands of pilgrims visited the holy city of Mecca each year, knowledge of coffee — often called “the wine of Arabia” — spread rapidly across the Islamic world.
1.3. The Second Stop — Europe
European traders who visited Arabia brought coffee back to their homelands.
By the 17th century, coffee had arrived in Europe and quickly became a popular beverage.
At first, Europeans were skeptical and even hostile toward coffee, referring to it as “the bitter invention of Satan.” In 1615, when coffee reached Venice, local clergy condemned it, and the matter was brought before Pope Clement VIII.
After tasting coffee himself, the Pope was so delighted by its flavor that he declared it a Christian drink, allowing it to spread freely throughout Europe.
Soon, coffeehouses appeared across France, Austria, England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
In England, coffeehouses were called “Penny Universities” — because for the price of one penny, a person could buy a cup of coffee and engage in lively discussions full of knowledge and information.
Coffee gradually replaced alcoholic beverages like beer and wine as a morning drink, helping workers stay alert and productive — possibly marking the beginning of modern office coffee culture.
By the mid-17th century, London alone had over 300 coffeehouses, attracting merchants, artists, writers, and intellectuals.
1.4. The Third Stop — Asia
As demand for coffee grew, countries competed fiercely to cultivate it outside Arabia.
In the late 17th century, the Dutch succeeded in growing coffee on the island of Java (modern-day Indonesia) after earlier failures in India.
In 1875, the French introduced coffee to Vietnam from the island of Bourbon (Réunion).
The plant adapted well to Vietnam’s highlands, especially in the Central Highlands region, and eventually became one of the country’s most valuable export crops.
1.5. The Final Stop — The Americas
In 1714, the mayor of Amsterdam presented a young coffee plant to King Louis XIV of France, who had it planted in the Royal Botanical Garden of Paris.
In 1723, a young naval officer named Gabriel de Clieu obtained seeds from this plant and embarked on a perilous journey to the Caribbean island of Martinique.
Despite storms, pirates, and sabotage, he succeeded in planting coffee there. Within 50 years, more than 18 million coffee trees were growing on the island. These became the ancestors of all coffee trees across the Caribbean, Central, and South America.
Later, a Brazilian officer, Francisco de Mello Palheta, was sent by the Emperor to French Guiana to obtain coffee seeds. The French governor refused, but his wife, charmed by Palheta, secretly gifted him a bouquet containing hidden coffee seeds.
From these seeds, Brazil built a coffee empire — one that would eventually become the world’s largest coffee producer.
The Global Expansion of Coffee
Missionaries, traders, and colonists continued to spread coffee around the world.
It was planted in tropical forests and sunny highlands, adapting to different climates and soils. Some varieties thrived, others perished — but each region developed its own unique flavors and coffee culture.
By the late 18th century, coffee had become one of the most profitable export crops in the world — second only to oil in global trade value today.