Coffee

By 1414, coffee was known in Mecca, introduced by Sufis from Yemen. It was used by Sufis as an aid to concentration and spiritual intoxication.

The world's first coffee house was established in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1475. Coffee became a part of daily routines at home and a way to show hospitality to guests. Coffee houses also became social hubs for conversation, music, performances, and news exchange.

In 1511, Khair Beg, the corrupt governor of Mecca, attempted to ban coffee due to fears that its consumption would incite rebellion against him. The sultan intervened, declaring coffee as sacred and having the governor executed.

Coffee was first introduced to Europe in Hungary when the Turks invaded Hungary at the Battle of Mohács in 1526.

Within a year of its introduction to Hungary, coffee had reached Vienna by the same Turks who fought the Europeans at the Siege of Vienna in 1529.

In 1554, coffee houses opened in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. These coffee houses were influenced by the Sufi tradition and became popular social hubs.

In the 16th century, coffee was introduced on the island of Malta through slavery. Turkish Muslim slaves imprisoned by the Knights of St John in 1565 used to make their traditional beverage.

In 1580, Venetian botanist and physician Prospero Alpini imported coffee into the Republic of Venice from Egypt, leading to the opening of coffee shops and the rise of coffee culture in Italy.

Abd al-Qadir al-Jaziri, an important early writer on coffee, compiled a work in 1587 tracing the history and legal controversies of coffee, detailing its spread from Arabia Felix northward to Mecca, Medina, Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, and Constantinople.

Around 1600, Italian traders brought coffee to Venice, marking the beginning of its spread to the Western hemisphere. This event played a significant role in the global dissemination of coffee culture.

In 1607, Captain John Smith, one of the founders of the colony of Virginia at Jamestown, introduced coffee to North America.

In response to the controversy surrounding coffee in Venice, Pope Clement VIII decided to taste the beverage himself. He found it satisfying and gave it papal approval, dispelling the fears and suspicions associated with the drink.

Pieter van den Broecke, a Dutch merchant, obtained coffee bushes from Mocha, Yemen in 1616. These bushes were planted in the Amsterdam Botanical Gardens, leading to the Dutch becoming major suppliers of coffee to Europe.

By 1668, coffee had become the preferred breakfast beverage in New York City, gradually replacing beer in the morning routines of the city's inhabitants.

In 1669, Soleiman Agha, Ambassador from Sultan Mehmed IV, introduced coffee to Parisians by bringing a large quantity of coffee beans and establishing the custom of drinking coffee among the people.

In 1670, coffee was introduced to India by a Sufi saint named Baba Budan. He brought coffee beans from Yemen and planted them in the hills of Chikmagalur, Karnataka, marking the beginning of coffee cultivation in India.

Rome-based Maronite Faustus Nairon's work in 1671 mentioned the legendary story of Kaldi and the monk, where coffee's origins were traced back to the 9th century, although the story itself may be apocryphal.

In 1673, coffeehouses were first established in North Sea ports of Germany, including Wuppertal-Ronsdorf, marking the beginning of coffee culture in the country.

In 1714, Gabriel de Clieu brought the first coffee plant to the Americas by taking a seedling from King Louis XIV's coffee plant to the French colony of Martinique. This event is considered the starting point of coffee cultivation in Central and South America.

Nicolaes Witsen, a member of the Dutch East India Company, successfully obtained coffee plants from Mocha, Yemen, and established them in the Dutch East Indies. By 1719, the Dutch East India Company was able to supply Europe's demand with 'Java coffee'.

Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to Martinique in the Caribbean in 1720, leading to the flourishing of coffee cultivation in the region and eventually enabling the spread of coffee to other islands in the Caribbean.

In 1723, a single coffee seedling planted in Martinique led to the spread of over 18 million coffee trees in the next 50 years. This seedling also became the ancestor of all coffee trees in the Caribbean, South and Central America.

In 1727, Francisco de Mello Palheta, sent by the Brazilian emperor to French Guiana to acquire coffee seedlings, managed to obtain them despite the French's reluctance to share. The French Governor's wife, enchanted by Palheta's appearance, gifted him a bouquet of flowers containing hidden coffee seeds, which led to the establishment of the Brazilian coffee industry.

Coffee cultivation began in the French territory of Saint-Domingue in 1734, and by 1788, it supplied half of the world's coffee, showcasing the significant impact of coffee production in the region.

After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, where American colonists rebelled against British tea taxation, drinking coffee became a patriotic symbol and a way to distance themselves from British identity. This event marked the shift of preference from tea to coffee in America.

By 1852, Brazil became the largest producer of coffee in the world, a status it has maintained since then. It dominated world production and exported more coffee than the rest of the world combined from 1850 to 1950.

Coffee was introduced to Japan by the Dutch in 1858, but it only gained popularity after the lifting of trade restrictions. The country now has a strong coffee culture with numerous coffeehouses and franchises.

In 1900, Hills Bros. started packing roast coffee in vacuum tins, leading to the decline of local roasting shops and coffee mills.

Japanese-American chemist Satori Kato of Chicago invented the first soluble instant coffee in 1901.

In 1906, English chemist George Constant Washington living in Guatemala invented the first mass-produced instant coffee.

Alfonso Bialetti invented the first moka pot in Turin after observing the lisciveuse steam pot used for laundry. His son Renato started industrial production in 1946, significantly increasing sales and making the moka pot an iconic Italian coffee maker.

In 1938, Nestle company invented freeze-dried coffee as a method to handle Brazil's coffee surpluses, leading to the creation of Nescafe.

During World War II, American soldiers were provided with instant Maxwell House coffee in their ration kits, while on the home front, uncontrolled hoarding forced the government to ration coffee.

In 1946, Achilles Gaggia perfected his espresso machine in Italy, revolutionizing the way espresso coffee was prepared and served.

After 1950, the production of instant coffee was perfected, revolutionizing the coffee industry. This innovation made coffee preparation quicker and more convenient for consumers.

In 1971, Starbucks, the renowned coffee chain, opened its first store in Seattle's Pike Place public market, marking the beginning of its iconic journey in the coffee industry.

Following the normalization of trade relations with the US in 1995, Vietnam began large-scale production of coffee, primarily focusing on Robusta beans. This development positioned Vietnam as the second major coffee producer in the world, after Brazil.

Vietnam overtook Colombia in 1999 to become the second-largest producer of coffee in the world. By 2011, Vietnam reached a 15% market share in coffee production.

As of 2009, India accounted for only 4.5% of the total coffee production in the world. The country's coffee production is dominated by small growers, with approximately 250,000 coffee growers in India.

In 2014, NESCAFÉ® introduced NESCAFÉ® Gold, a premium coffee blend known for its rich flavor and quality.

Launched in 2018, NESCAFÉ® Sunrise is a newer addition to the NESCAFÉ® coffee range, offering a fresh and vibrant coffee experience.