The humble coffee bean has come a very long way since it was reputedly first consumed back in 9th century Ethiopia. Allegedly, its potential was first discovered by an Ethiopian shepherd who noticed his goats becoming excitable after chewing coffee beans. And now with the love of the bean on the rise worldwide, coffee lovers – much like the Ethiopian goats – are starting at the source, now with coffee machines in the home.
Last week, one of IAG Cargo’s bigger item deliveries was 4.5 tonnes worth of coffee makers, transported from Singapore to New York. According to Zagat’s annual coffee study, the average American now drinks over two cups of coffee per day and nearly half of coffee machines sold globally are bought in the US.
Drip or espresso, Americano or latte – the US’s love of coffee has bolstered coffee machine sales, as Americans learn more about their coffee and their preferences for style, preparation and taste.
New Yorkers especially, famous for their prolific love of coffee, drink almost seven times more coffee than any other city in America according to Massive Health’s recent study. It’s not quite Honoré de Balzac’s ambitious fifty cups of coffee per day, but then again, we aren’t all built like 19th century French novelists… or Ethiopian goats.