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Looze

Our history

A short history of coffee

The history of coffee begins in Ethiopia, more than 1,500 years ago, where it is told that Kaldi, a goatherd, notices that his goats show great activity when they eat a kind of wild berry !

  1. More than 1,500 years ago

    In Ethiopia, Kaldi introduces these berries to the priors of the community, Sufis of the neighbouring convent. The decoction made with these berries allows the religious to pray fervently through entire nights, the mind well awake !

  2. End of the 15th century

    The use of coffee as a drink is already a daily rite and an acquisition of Islamic culture.

  3. Middle of the 16th century

    The Turks in turn adopt coffee and open the door towards the west.

  4. 1614

    The East India Company puts an end to the Arab monopoly of coffee production and trade when the first cargo of coffee from Turkey arrives in Venice.

  5. 1645

    The first coffee house in Europe opens in Venice. The openings of « cafés » will from then on take place throughout the world.

  6. Beginning of the 18th century

    Coffee consumption in Europe takes on such a scale that the Dutch and the French introduce coffee plantations in their colonies of Indonesia and the Caribbean. Amsterdam becomes the world centre of the coffee trade.

  7. 19th century

    Coffee production extends to Central and South America, as well as to Indonesia.

  8. Beginning of the 20th century

    Brazil becomes the world’s leading producer and still is today. Organised plantations also appear in Africa.

  9. Today

    Coffee is, after oil, the second world product to be traded on the markets and the world’s leading agricultural commodity.

From the coffee tree to the cup

The origin of the word « café » would come from the Arabic word « qahwa », which means « stimulant ».

Originally a wild plant, the coffee tree is pruned in plantations so as not to exceed 2 to 3 metres. The leaves are pointed, dark green in colour, and the white flowers, magnificent, spread a delicious fragrance.

After flowering, the green cherries become red and are ready to be picked. It takes 5 years for a coffee tree to give its first fruits ; about 2.5 kilos of cherries are harvested per tree, which will give 500 g of roasted coffee, with which you will be able to prepare 65 cups !

Young coffee plant with glossy green leaves
5 yearsBefore the first fruitsFor a coffee tree to give its first cherries.
2.5 kgOf cherries per treeAverage harvest of a coffee tree.
500 gOf roasted coffeeThe result of these 2.5 kilos of cherries.
65Cups of coffeeTo prepare with these 500 grams.

And now, the cup

Discover our « Mélanges Maison » and our Grands Crus, artisan-roasted in Feluy.

Discover our coffees Our history