We don't know its date. It probably goes back to sometime in the first millenium. The legend says that one day an Ethiopian goatherd, named Kaldi, observed that his goats became very happy and active after eating the fruits of a certain shrub. Kaldi's goats were dancing with joy!
After watching his goats for a while in astonishment, Kaldi decided to try the same fruit too. He picked a few and chewed. In a few minutes, he joined the goats' dance.
Impressed with the effects of the fruit, Kaldi took some to a monk in a nearby monastery. The monk tested and soon experienced the same effects as Kaldi. Thinking that the fruit might help his fellow monks to stay alert during their night-long prayers, he introduced the fruit to them. Then began the unstoppable journey of coffee to all over the world.
Today, Ethiopia is not among the biggest producers of coffee beans. However, they are home to one of the best quality coffee bean, "Yirgacheffe".