The day was launched in Milan in 2015 by the International Coffee Organization and began in 75 countries at once
Today, October 1, is International Coffee Day, and 2026 marks its 12th edition. The celebration was officially launched by the International Coffee Organization (ICO), the body that brings together producing and consuming countries, on October 1, 2015, in Milan, during the Global Coffee Forum. In the launch speech, published by the ICO, the organization's executive director noted that, for the first time, coffee culture was being celebrated on the same day in 75 countries.
The idea grew out of a paradox. According to the ICO text, each country has its own coffee culture, from the varieties grown to roasting styles and brewing methods, which is why coffee days existed at the national level but not internationally. ICO members and industry associations wanted a shared date precisely to show that, for all that diversity, countries are united by coffee. The speech cites the formal coffee ceremony in Ethiopia and two friends sharing a small cup as examples of that variety.
The first edition had events around the world. The ICO mentioned a brewing competition at a coffee shop in the United States, an open farm day in Nicaragua and, in Japan, a Brazilian-style samba parade through the streets of Shibuya, in Tokyo, organized by the All Japan Coffee Association.
The organization also teamed up with Oxfam to launch the Coffee4Change campaign. It was inspired by caffè sospeso, or suspended coffee, a Neapolitan tradition still found in bars across Italy: someone in luck pays for a second coffee along with their own, which is set aside for someone in need. The money raised went to Oxfam projects with smallholder coffee farmers in countries such as Haiti, Honduras and Timor-Leste.
The speech also included market figures. In 2015, according to the ICO, the world drank 50% more coffee than 20 years earlier, and the forecast was for 25 million more bags within ten years, reaching 175 million. More than 25 million families in less developed countries made their living directly from growing it. To celebrate at home, the coffees in the catalog at Bebidário include Brazilian brands such as 3 Corações Tradicional and Melitta Tradicional.
Sources: International Coffee Organization, International Coffee Day launch speech (October 1, 2015).
