Legend tells us that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, in the region of Kaffa, over a thousand years ago. A young goat herder named "kalid" noticed his goats dancing with unusual energy after eating bright red berries from a certain plant. Curious, Kalid tried the berries himself and felt the same burst of vitality.
Word of this discovery spread to nearby monasteries, where monks used the beans to prepare a drink that kept them awake during long prayers. From the highlands of Ethiopia, coffee traveled to Yemen, then across the Arab world, and eventually spread to Europe and the rest of the globe.
Today, coffee remains one of the world’s most beloved beverages—but its heart and origin will always belong to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.