It is widely believed that Coffee was first discovered around 850AD in Ethiopia by a goat herder named Kaldi.

He noticed that his goats were getting friskier than normal when they had eaten red berries from a nearby shrub – Coffea. Kaldi picked some of the berries and took them to the Cappucci Monks at the local monastery to discuss the reaction he had seen in his goats.

The Monks placed them in a pan of boiling water and produced the first coffee beverage! After drinking the liquid the Monks noticed that they felt more alert (which we now know was the effect of the caffeine). Realising this, they continued to use the drink to keep themselves and the local villagers awake for midnight mass!

The Arabs soon found out about these effects and started to care for and cultivate the Coffea plant.
They also found by throwing some berries onto a fire that they could roast the stones (the coffee bean) these were then crushed and boiling water added to make the first roasted coffee drink.

Coffee is still very important in many Arabic countries, for example, in Turkey a bride-to-be must be able to make traditional coffee for the groom’s family before the wedding is approved.

The Arabs also exported the coffee out of the country through the Port of Mocha, although they would not allow the fertile bean to leave the country! In 1966 the Dutch finally managed to get a plant out of Arabia and since then the industry has spread throughout the world. The Brazilians joined the coffee industry in 1727 and now produce 1/3 of all the coffee we consume.

Coffee Houses as we now know them started in 1475 in Istanbul.
People gathered in local establishments to discuss local news, issues and politics while drinking a cup of coffee. By 1652 England had its first Coffee Houses, these were known as ‘penny universities’ as a penny was charged for admission and a cup of coffee.

London’s first coffee house was opened by Edward Lloyd in 1688. People could go in and get a cup of coffee and insure their ships at the same time. (The company is now known as Lloyds of London, one of the best known insurance companies in the world.) The word TIPS was created in an English coffee house, a sign was placed by a cup reading `to insure prompt service`(tips) those wanting prompt service and a better seat threw a coin into the cup!