The Origin of all Origins: Ethiopian Coffee Ethiopia is where all coffee began in the 9th century AD. Legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi discovered the coffee berry after his goats ingested and were unable to go to sleep. He later spread that knowledge to a local monastery and eventually coffee cultivation was spread through the Arabian Peninsula to ultimately be traded and popularized in Europe and then grown in similar climates all over the world. It’s important to remember that all arabica beans are Ethiopian, whether grown in Indonesia, Latin America or Hawaii. Ethiopian arabica beans were taken to other countries where they were adapted and able to thrive in environments that were tropical, mountainous and had both wet and dry seasons. It follows that Ethiopia has one of the most perfect environments for cultivating coffee and many heirloom varieties with different characteristics are grown within the region.