The coffee plant as such has existed for millions of years. Many legends surround the question of how and who first discovered coffee as a drink. It is almost impossible to find out the truth of these stories. It is said that the origin goes back to one or more shepherds in the Ethiopian highlands. In the province of Kaffa, according to many researchers, the birthplace of coffee, the men were on the move with their goats.

After some time, they noticed with surprise that their animals never seemed to tire. Curiosity was aroused and they began to observe the herd more closely. One day they noticed that special plants with green, yellow and red fruits, similar to cherries, were being eaten by the animals. After this discovery, they also harvested these fruits and began to brew them. A short time later, the wakefulness effect set in. Another legend is about a young dervish named Omar. He was slandered and innocently convicted. As punishment, he was banished to a remote stone desert. Severely starved, he discovered a plant he did not know and tasted the fruit. Miraculously, he quickly felt better. Thus fortified, he made his way back to his city. Not without taking some of these special fruits with him and telling the people there about them. The people began to taste it. Omar was then pardoned by the caliph, who subsequently even gave him a palace.

In conclusion, such myths and legends should always be treated with caution. Nevertheless, they show how far back the history of coffee goes.