International Coffee Day

International Coffee Day History

International Coffee Day seeks to celebrate coffee from around the world while honoring the farmers, traders, roasters and baristas responsible for creating the coffees that are enjoyed by so many people worldwide.

According to an Ethiopian legend, coffee, a black bean enclosed in red berry, was discovered by a goat herder in the Ethiopian highlands when he noticed that his goats had become overly energetic after eating the berries. Slowly, the herder's discovery spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, into Europe and finally to the New World, increasing the demand for coffee and making it the second most sought after commodity in the world today (crude oil being the first).

Organized by the International Coffee Organization and its 75 Member States, International Coffee Day was first celebrated on October 1, 2015 in Milan, Italy at Expo 2015. The International Coffee Organization is an intergovernmental organization that unifies coffee exporting and importing governments through international cooperation with the aim of creating a sustainable coffee market and lowering poverty levels in developing countries that harvest coffee.

International Coffee Day facts

• Based on the Food Regulation Standing Committee and Caffeine Working Group, Red bull has an average caffeine content of 32.0 mg/100ml, compared to a cappuccino which has caffeine content of 101.9 mg/100ml. Espresso style coffee made from ground coffee beans has 194.0 mg/ml of caffeine content. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400mg of caffeine is the safe limit for most adults
• Two of the main types of coffee bean consumed include Arabica and Robusta. Arabica has a smoother taste and Robusta is more bitter.
• Kopi Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees brewed in the world. Kopi Luwak it is made with digested coffee beans that had been eaten and defecated by an Asian toddy cat (Asian palm civet). This rare coffee can cost between $35-80 US dollars for a single cup.
• Long-term caffeine intake can lead to a caffeine addiction/dependence, which has been medically recognized as a disorder. When individuals with a caffeine addiction abstain from caffeine, they may experience withdrawal symptoms including headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and mood changes.
• I am a coffee fanatic. Once you go to proper coffee, you can't go back. You cannot go back. - Hugh Laurie, Dr. House actor

In the News and Trending in the US for International Coffee Day

Top things to do in the US for International Coffee Day

• Make a coffee infused dessert. Our favorite picks:
  Coffee Cream Pie, Coffee cheesecake, Mocha-Walnut Brownies
• Have a Coffee-based alcoholic drink. Here are our favorite picks:
  Brazilian Coffee (made with Kahlua)
  Irish Coffee Creamtini (made with Irish whiskey)
  Mexican Coffee (made with tequila and Kahlua)
  Pitch Dark Coffee Stout Beer
• Get free coffee! Starbucks and other coffee chains offer free coffee on this day!
• Grab a cup of America's favorite best-selling coffee. According to Howard Telford, market researcher at Euromonitor, the nation's best-selling brand of coffee is Keurig, followed by Folgers, Starbucks, Maxwell House then Dunkin' Donuts.
• Try some American-Grown Kona coffee. Harvested in Hawaii, Kona coffee is grown on the volcanic soil of Mauna Loa Volcano, which is an active volcano! Medium-bodied, Kona coffee is also one of the most expensive coffees in the world.