- History of the Coffee Phenomenon
History of the Coffee Phenomenon
Coming in second place, right after oil, coffee is the most valuable traded commodity in the world. Even beating natural gas, sugar, corn, and other commodities. We are constantly surrounded by coffee products whether it is in our own homes, schools, offices, and workplaces. About 2.25 billion cups of coffee is consumed every single day worldwide, which is why one might notice a coffee joint on nearly every block. On average, New York alone is known to drink at least 7 times more cups of coffee than any other city in America. People fully crave and rely on coffee and have incorporated drinking it on a daily basis. But where did this ongoing phase of this caffeinated drink come from?
Most people may not know that coffee is similar to a cherry-like fruit and the actual coffee bean is found in the center of the fruit. This being around 1000 A.D., people have found different ways in using coffee whether it were in drinks or food. It wasn’t until the 13th century where people found the technique of roasting coffee, which then leads us to the way we learn how to process coffee today.
The technique of roasting coffee, which originated in Arabia, and was made popular within the Muslim community because of its ability to stimulate during longer sessions of prayer. It is said that no other place had access to coffee outside of Arabia and Africa, until an Indian pilgrim by the name of Baba Budan, left Mecca with fertile beans. As a result of Baba’s expedition, it created competition of coffee trade in Europe. European coffee houses grew in popularity as it began to grow larger in Italy and France, eventually reaching America.
By the late 1800’s coffee had already become a phenomenon. Entrepreneurs have taken advantage of this commodity and found ways to profit from the craze of coffee. There has been an array of coffee products and packaging that have made it’s name during this time frame attracting more and more people to drink coffee. Huge names such as Folgers, Maxwell House, and Hills Brothers have already made it to the top as coffee producers and are still on the shelves of any local grocery store until this very day. Specialty coffee later became a trend, leading up to opening the biggest coffee giant in the world, Starbucks. In 1971, is when the first ever Starbucks officially opened in Seattle, Washington and is now the third largest restaurant chain in the U.S.
In this day and age, both franchised and independently owned coffee joints are growing faster than ever. Coffee is everywhere and is always extremely accessible almost anywhere at any time at the local grocery store, farmers market, or coffee joint. This caffeinated drink has turned into an artform that gave people a chance to alter and mix their coffee to their liking. Not to forget, the various ways you can consume it now, another revolution is brewing. This one values deliberation, flavor, and quality, treating coffee as something to be savored. K-Cups and Pour-Over Coffee are some of the latest forms of coffee.
Whether someone may absolutely need coffee to wake up and gain energy to function or want coffee solely just for the aesthetic of drink, the trend of coffee is everlasting.