The Journey of Coffee: A Timeline of Flavor, Culture, and Connection

Coffee wasn’t always the global ritual it is today. From mystical beginnings in East Africa to global obsession, coffee’s journey has been centuries in the making. At ZumaCoffee, we honor every sip by remembering where it all started and how far it has come.

850 AD – The Legend of Kaldi

In the Ethiopian highlands, a young goatherd named Kaldi noticed something strange: his goats were full of energy after eating berries from a certain shrub. Curious, Kaldi tried them himself and discovered coffee’s legendary caffeine kick. That moment became the beginning of everything.

1100s – Yemen: Where Coffee Meets Culture

Coffee beans made their way across the Red Sea to Yemen. The people of Arabia roasted and brewed coffee much like we do today. By the 15th century, coffee was at the heart of Sufi religious rituals, used to stay awake during long hours of prayer.

1500s – Rise of the Coffeehouse Culture

Coffee reached Mecca, Cairo, and Istanbul, spreading quickly across the Islamic world. Coffeehouses, known as qahveh khaneh, began to appear. These weren’t just places to sip they were social hubs, where poetry, politics, and deep conversations brewed alongside the beans.

1600s – Europe Discovers Coffee

Traders brought coffee to Venice in 1615, and Europe was never the same. Coffeehouses popped up across England, France, Austria, and Germany. In England, they were called “penny universities” because for the price of a cup, you could engage in lively debate and learn something new.

1700s–1900s – Coffee Goes Global

European powers began growing coffee in their colonies from Java (Indonesia) to the Caribbean, South America, and Africa. This global spread created a booming industry, and coffee became a daily essential for millions.

Today – The Third Wave

Experience From Kaldi’s goats to your cup, coffee has evolved but its power to bring people together remains the same. We’re now in the Third Wave of coffee: a movement that values origin, transparency, craftsmanship, and experience.

At ZumaCoffee, every bean we brew tells a story. We honor centuries of tradition while celebrating the new ways coffee connects us in cafés, in parks, at home, or wherever your cup finds you. Final Sip Coffee isn’t just a drink. It’s a timeline, a culture, a connection and you’re part of the story.

Next time you take a sip, remember: it started with a goat, a legend, and a world that needed just one more cup.