The United States and Canada celebrate National Coffee Day on September 29. But International Coffee Day takes place just two days later, on October 1. So, taking advantage of the fact that this world-famous product is an indispensable companion for many, let’s celebrate it all weekend long.Where it all began
- 1400 – The growth and trade of coffee begins
Coffee becomes a “currency” of exchange and trade in the region that is now Yemen. - 1500 – Coffee becomes a “product” of the Middle East
Along with tea, people begin to drink coffee throughout the Middle East, in countries like Persia (now Iran), Turkey, Egypt, and Syria. - 1600 – Europe gets a taste of the drink
When European merchants discover coffee in the Middle East, the popularity of the drink spreads across the continent. - Mid-1600s – Coffee arrives in the colonies
The British bring coffee to New Amsterdam and the area that is now New York. Thus, a morning desire for the product is born. - 1723 – A seedling starts it all
History tells that coffee appeared in the Americas and the Caribbean through a single seedling transported to Martinique by a French naval officer.
National Coffee Day in numbers
- 75% – Caffeine consumed by Americans comes in the form of coffee
- 66% – Of women drink coffee every day
- 62% – Of men drink coffee every day
- 100 – The age that a coffee plant can reach
- 5.7 billion – Pounds of coffee that Brazil – one of the largest producers in the world – exports every year
- 3.1 – The number of coffees that the average American drinks per day
- 400 million – coffees consumed across the U.S. every day
- 146 billion – coffees consumed across the U.S. per year
COFFEE CURIOSITIESCoffee brings people together
In England, the first coffeehouses, better known as “Schools for the Wise,” became meeting places for intellectual activities, entertainment, and board games like chess.In Japan, you can take a coffee bath
The Hakone Kowakien Yunessun hot spring spa in Japan offers the option to take a coffee bath, along with 26 other options, including red wine, sake, or green tea.Sweden tried coffee death – it didn’t work
In 1746, Swedish King Gustav III ordered doctors to monitor how long condemned murderers lived after drinking cup after cup of coffee, according to the National Coffee Association.The coffee bean is a fruit
You probably already know this, but to be clear, coffee sprouts from the fruit of a shrub and the so-called “bean” is the pit.Beethoven was practically a coffee obsessive
Before drinking his coffee in the mornings, composer Beethoven counted 60 coffee beans for each cup he prepared.It’s a sensory experience
Coffee, bright and early in the morning, is a sensory experience. We love that deep brown or black color because the richer the color, the tastier the drink. Grinding the beans and inhaling the aroma while preparing the drink is part of our daily ritual.Coffee is good for the brain
Coffee is not just a drink that perks us up. In fact, it helps our brain produce dopamine and adrenaline, improving our memory. Some studies show that regular coffee consumption can reduce the likelihood of developing dementia by up to 65%.Source: National Today