Where do coffee beans come from?

Do you start each morning with a hot cup of coffee? Many of us thrive on this caffeine-powered beverage, but have you ever asked yourself, where does coffee come from? Today, we embark an exploration to understand the rich history and journey of coffee, from its earliest discovery to how it has evolved as a beloved beverage across the globe.

The Discovery of Coffee: Where It All Began 

Let's start with the legends. The story of coffee goes back to ancient times, in the Kaffa region of Ethiopia, where it’s believed to have been discovered. The most prevalent tale points to a goat herder named Kaldi. Observing that his goats were full of energy after consuming the red berries from a particular bush, Kaldi tried them himself. The result? A revelation of this energizing effect.

Historians believe that coffee was first chewed and not brewed. Indigenous tribes would grind the berries together, mix them with animal fat to form a crude protein bar. These bars were consumed for quick energy during long journeys and wars.

The Journey of Coffee 

Coffee knows no boundaries, and its popularity began to spread. Arab traders brought the coffee bush back home to the Arabian Peninsula, where it first started to be brewed and consumed in a way somewhat like our modern methods. They started boiling the beans, leading to the popular concoction, qahwa — the magical brew that keeps you awake.

By the 15th century, coffee had journeyed to the Middle East, Persia, Turkey, and Northern Africa. The sophisticates of these regions developed love for this invigorating drink, and coffee houses, known popularly as 'Schools of the Wise', started popping up in metropolitan cities like Cairo and Istanbul.

Coffee in Europe and America 

The journey of coffee didn't stop in the Middle East. European travellers brought it back from their journeys, and despite initial scepticism, coffee soon became popular across the continent. In the 17th century, the Italians became particularly fond of coffee, giving us the term "cappuccino", named after the Capuchin monks' habits due to their similar brown colour to the espresso-based drink.

Coffee's journey towards America began in the mid-17th century, with the British introducing it to New York or New Amsterdam as it was called back then. However, it wasn't initially as popular as beer or whiskey. This changed when the infamous Boston Tea Party in 1773 made drinking tea a politically charged act, leading many Americans to switch allegiance from tea to coffee.

Coffee Around The World Today 

Today, coffee is second only to oil as the most valuable legally traded commodity in the world. It is grown primarily in a region known as the "Coffee Belt", where more than 50 countries around the Equator grow coffee. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, accounting for around 40% of total global coffee production.

The world has fallen in love with coffee, and we have made it our own. Various cultures have developed their own methods of brewing, from the strong Espresso of Italy, to the thick Turkish coffee, the fluffy cappuccinos and lattes, to the American-style percolated coffee.

The journey along which coffee has come is a testament to our long-standing love affair with this energizing drink. Starting off from the humble bushes of Kaffa region in Ethiopia to being a globalized phenomenon, coffee truly is a beverage of historical and cultural significance.

Whether you enjoy a simple, black coffee or prefer a more elaborate concoction, remember the journey that coffee had to experience to reach your cup each morning.

How TASSIMO selects it coffee beans around the globe 

TASSIMO curates its coffee for the exquisite Coffee pods with utmost precision and passion. The process begins with the careful selection of quality coffee beans from the best coffee-growing regions around the globe, ensuring optimal flavour and aroma. These beans are then roasted to perfection, unlocking the unique and robust flavour profiles of each bean variety. After roasting, the beans are ground coarsely to preserve their essence and packaged promptly into the T-DISCs, a patented technology that seals in the freshness and flavour of the coffee. The automatic brewing system is then programmed to recognize each T-DISC via a barcode, ensuring a perfect cup every time by adjusting the amount of water, brewing time, and temperature for each variety. As a result, TASSIMO's T-DISCs deliver a consistently delicious, cafe-style coffee experience.

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