Discovered in the forests of Ethiopia, coffee has gone on to become one of the most sought-after beverages the world has come to know of. Provided below is an account of the early days.

The beginning

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From Kaldi the goat herder who stumbled upon coffee berries growing in Ethiopian forests to the first cuppa that was created in a local monastery after roasting and dissolving the fruit, coffee would soon transform beverage preparation. Coffee was initially consumed by fermenting the fruit so that it resembled that of wine. Thereafter, it was mixed with animal fat to portray a modern-day protein bar, long before brewing was ever thought of.

Finding a new home in Europe

Come the initial years of the 17th century, coffee began to take root in Europe with the British and Dutch East India Trading companies removing all restrictions on exports to facilitate same and better trading opportunities.

Ceylon to Sri Lanka

Coffee in Sri Lanka or Ceylon as it was once referred to, cannot be overlooked for the island nation presents a fascinating story of how these beans impacted the lives of traditional tea drinkers. With the influences of colonialism making its presence felt, so did coffee cultivation with the Dutch settlers credited with having experimented with the same during the 18th century. However, it was the British who took on the mantle of coffee production which saw the country recognized as a leading name in the 19th century. Against such a rich legacy, visitors to the Emerald Isle can benefit from having access to coffee suppliers in the likes of Fits Retail to savour some of the finest coffee in town.