10 Interesting Coffee Facts

It's no secret coffee is our obsession, but did you know that globally we drink over 400 billion cups of coffee a year with 450 million cups being consumed daily in the United States?

Here are 10 facts you didn't know about coffee.

1. Coffee is a fruit. 

Coffee beans are technically seeds. They're the pits of the cherry-like berries found on the flowering shrubs, but we call them "beans" because of the resemblance to legumes.

2. You can eat coffee berries. 

Early on, people mixed coffee berries with fat to create an energy-rich snack ball. Some would even ferment the pulp of the berries to make a wine like drink. 

3. It was discovered by a goat herder. 

It was said that coffee was discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia in the 1500s. He saw his goats eating coffee cherries. Afterwards, the herder observed a change in the goat’s behavior. The goat’s got a bolt of energy and didn’t sleep at night. When the herder realized the correlation, he shared his findings with the local monks, who realized they could stay up all night and pray after consuming a drink from the coffee beans. From there, they spread the word to other Ethiopian monks and it spread across the globe. 

4. Coffee is the most widely consumed beverage on the planet. 

More than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year. And more than 450 millions cups are consumed in the US everyday. 

5. Europe is the largest market of coffee drinkers on the planet, representing 30% of the global coffee market

6. There are only two US states that grow coffee. 

Hawaii and California are the only two states in the US who produce coffee. 

7. Brazil grows the most coffee in the world at over 41 million bags annually. 

8. Finland is home to the biggest coffee addicts. 

Following Finland in the ranks for most coffee consumption is Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, USA , Japan and the UK. 

9. Two of the most expensive coffees come from an animal’s poop. 

Kopi Luwak ($600/pound)  and Black Ivory ($1,500/pound) are the two most expensive coffees in the world. Kopi Luwak is an Indonesian coffee that is roasted after being eaten, digested, and pooped out by a palm civet. Black Ivory is made in Thailand after an elephant has consumed the beans and they’ve been slowly digested and pooped out, producing a uniquely smooth and mellow taste. 

10. Ten countries account for over 80% of the world's coffee imports. 

These countries are the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Belgium, Spain, Russia, United Kingdom, and Netherlands.

Now that you know all there is to know about coffee, head to our shop to pick out your next obsession.