1. Coffee goes back a really long way

Coffee is thought to date back to 800 A.D., where it was discovered by 9th century Ethiopian goat herders. It was said that they noticed their goats eating the plant and afterwards it appeared like they were ‘dancing’. Fascinated by the results, the goat herder tried them himself and discovered that it made him excitable too. Want to learn more coffee history facts? Read our article all about it!

2. Coffee is a fruit

Despite it being called a ‘bean’, coffee is actually a fruit. The ‘beans’ grow on a bush and are found in the center of a berry, known as a coffee cherry.

3. Beethoven loved coffee

This coffee fact may surprise you, but infamous composer, Beethoven, loved coffee! Apparently, he was very obsessive about it and would have precisely 60 beans per cup and would spend the time counting out each and every one.

4. Brazil grows the most coffee in the world

It’s widely known that Brazil is one of the biggest coffee hotspots of the world, but did you know it’s responsible for around a third of all the coffee in the world? Brazil is the number one coffee producer, followed by Vietnam and Colombia.

5. Ethiopia is Africa’s biggest coffee contributor

In addition to being known as the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia is Africa’s leading coffee producer while ranking as the world’s 5^th largest, accounting for 7.3 million bags. This is followed by Uganda, Cote D’Ivoire, Tanzania and Kenya.

6. Finland consumes the most coffee in the world

While Brazil may grow the most, Finland drinks the most coffee! On average they drink 12kg per person, per year which works out to around an impressive 1,680 cups each a year. Now how’s that for a coffee fact?

Learn about coffee hotspots around the world

7. Coffee wasn’t always enjoyed with breakfast

Despite coffee being renowned as one of the most popular drinks to have with your breakfast (followed by tea), prior to the 18th century, beer was actually enjoyed with the first meal of the day!

8. Coffee wasn’t always for drinking

Before coffee was discovered to be a delicious beverage it was actually a food. East African tribes would grind the berries then mix them with animal fat and eat them.

9. There are two different types of coffee bean

There are two types of coffee bean that are used for drinking – Robusta and Arabica. Arabica is more widely favoured due to its lower acidity and smoother taste, whereas Robusta is more acidic and bitter

10. NESCAFÉ produced the first instant coffee

We’re quite proud of this coffee history fact because it was us who created the first successful instant coffee blend! The story goes all the way back to 1929 when Brazil was looking for a solution to help with the coffee surplus in the country, which after years of careful research, led to the development of the Nescafé brand. Find out more about the history of the NESCAFÉ brand.

11. Coffee’s nearly been banned a few times  

Coffee wasn’t always as loved as it is today. In the 18th century, governments tried to ban the beverage because it was thought to stimulate radical thinking. . Ine Sweden in 1746, coffee was banned for a while, as well as anything related to it – including cups and saucers - because it was thought to stimulate radical thinking! 

12. The most expensive coffee in the world costs $600 per pound  

The most expensive coffee in the world is Kopi Luwak and as of 2019, it cost $600 per pound. Native to Indonesia, the coffee is roasted after being eaten, digested, and expelled by a Palm Civet. It’s said that they only eat the very best, sweetest, and freshest coffee cherries and when ingested, it’s naturally fermented which gives it a distinctive flavour. Where this coffee fact is definitely interesting, we think we’ll pass on a cup! 

13. The largest cup of coffee in the world was 22,739.14 litres

Yes, you heard right! The largest cup of coffee ever made was 22,739.14 litres. The brew made in Colombia on 15th June 2019, took fifty people more than a month to make. It currently also holds the Guinness World Record.

That’s our list of 16 fascinating coffee facts!