Coffee is a favourite beverage in the US and the rest of the world, and many people drink it for breakfast to start their day and to relax at the end of it. Coffee has taken quite a long journey from its origins in Ethiopia. If you are interested in learning more about the history of it keep reading as we look at the history of coffee from its beginnings to today.
The history of coffee dates back to centuries of old oral tradition in modern day Ethiopia. However, neither where coffee was first cultivated nor direct evidence of its consumption prior to the 15th century have been found. Sufi monasteries in Yemen employed coffee as an aid to concentration during prayers.[1] Coffee later spread to the Levant and Persia in the early 16th century; it caused some controversy on whether it was halal in Ottoman and Mamluk society. Coffee arrived in Italy the second half of the 16th century through commercial Mediterranean trade routes, while Central and Eastern Europeans learnt of coffee from the Ottomans. By the mid-17th century, it had reached India and the East Indies.
Coffee houses would establish themselves in Western Europe by the late 17th century, especially in England and Germany. One of the earliest cultivations of coffee in the New World was when Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to Martinique in 1720. These beans later sprouted 18,680 coffee trees which enabled its spread to other Caribbean islands like Saint-Domingue and also to Mexico. By 1788, Saint-Domingue supplied half the world's coffee.
By 1852, globally, Brazil became the largest producer of coffee and has held that status ever since. The period since 1950 saw the widening of the playing field due to the emergence of several other major producers, notably Colombia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and Vietnam; the latter overtook Colombia and became the second-largest producer in 1999.[2] Modern production techniques along with the mass productization of coffee has made it a household item today.
Coffee remains a major good produced in Central and South America to this day, and human rights remain a concern. The global industry has responded with programs such as the Fair Trade certification, which attempts to maintain ethical standards among suppliers. Many roasters now practice direct trading with growers to cultivate closer relationships between suppliers and their clients, as well as a more transparent understanding of the conditions at growing sites.
The Coffee Industry Today
According to the National Coffee Association, coffee is now a $75 billion industry in the United States alone. If you include the various products and services produced alongside coffee, such as packaging, creamer, flavourings, etc., the industry creates an economic impact of more than $225 billion. This year is the first in more than a decade in which the number of coffee shops operating in the U.S. has declined, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, these adverse circumstances will disproportionately affect small coffee shops and small roasters most, as the large chains possess enough capital to weather the storm. If you are a fan of small shops or quality roasters, go local to show your support.
In spite of the pandemic, it seems the market for specialty coffee is growing, as consumers seek out not just quality products but novel ones. Companies are innovating in the way coffee can be served, packaged, or delivered. Some of the new trends include cold brew coffee packs, which have surged in popularity in the last few years, and nitro brew coffee, a variant of cold brew served with pressurized nitrogen, creating a drink that is often compared to a dark stout. Whipped coffee, a trend that started in Korea, has been catching on. Specialty brand single serve coffee pouches are also popular, providing the goodness of small batch roasts without the hassle of grinding your own. Lastly, as an adaptation to the pandemic and the growing popularity of subscription business models, coffee subscription services are now delivering quality beans and products directly to the consumer’s door.
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