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Coffee is the second most traded product in the world after
petroleum. World wide coffee production tips the scales at about 6
million metric tonnes.
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It
takes five years for a coffee tree to reach maturity. The average
yield from one tree is the equivalent of one roasted pound of
coffee.
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People who buy coffee primarily at drive through windows on their
way to work will spend as much as 45 hours a year waiting in line.
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Of
the various botanical species of coffee trees in the world, only
two are extensively cultivated commercially; Arabica and Robusta.
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The
average person who buys coffee outside the office to consume at
work will spend the equivalent value of a round trip plane ticket
to Florida every year.
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The
first coffee house in Europe opened in Venice in 1683, while
coffee was available in Europe as early as 1608, mostly for the
rich.
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The
expression “a cup of Joe” to denote coffee, was first coined
during WWII, when American servicemen (G.I. Joe) were identified
as big coffee drinkers.
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The
largest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, is responsible for 30 to
40 % of total world output.
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In
the late 1800’s, Chase and Sanborn put out a flier on how to read
the coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup (like a fortune
teller).
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Coffee cherries usually contain two “beans”, except for the single
bean peaberry anomaly. Cherries with three beans are deemed to be
a sign of good luck.
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A
Belgian living in Guatemala invented the first instant coffee in
1906 and later immigrated to the United States. His name,
ironically enough, was George Washington.