Yemen's Coffee Empire: How Mocha Conquered the World

Long before oil, Yemen was the world's sole supplier of coffee. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the fascinating history of Yemen's coffee trade, from the Sufi monasteries of the 15th century to the bustling port of Mocha. They discuss the legend of Kaldi and the goats, the rise of coffee cultivation in the highlands of Bani Matar and Bani Hammad, the role of the port of al-Mukha in fueling a global addiction, and the Ottoman and European attempts to smuggle coffee plants out of Yemen. Lucas explains how the coffee monopoly enriched the Zaidi imams and the merchants of Zabid and Bayt al-Faqih, and how the eventual spread of coffee cultivation to Java and the Americas spelled the end of Yemen's dominance. This episode also touches on the cultural significance of qat and the irony that today, Yemen is better known for a drug than for the drink that once defined it. A tale of monopoly, smuggling, and the global caffeine fix.

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