The brewing battle over coffee in Turkey
Amid an increase in coffee consumption in Turkey, leading international coffee chains have stormed into the local market, luring the young clientele.
Turkish coffee is one of Turkey’s best-known hallmarks abroad. The coffee beans are not homegrown, but the slow brewing technique, taste, aroma and a history of about 500 years make Turkish coffee special on the world coffee scene. While it is served in small cups of only several sips, Turkish coffee opens the door to conversations stretching over hours. It is also a central element in a premarital ceremony, in which the family of the groom-to-be visits the family of the bride-to-be to ask for her hand. The bride-to-be makes Turkish coffee for the occasion as a first treat for her future in-laws. To pass the test with flying colors, the coffee has to be brewed on a low flame and have plenty of foam. Yet if the girl is reluctant to marry her suitor, her coffee may not taste that good, and even salt could replace sugar in the brew!
Turkish coffee is also the first thing served when neighbors visit each other. After drinking the coffee, they turn the cups upside down onto the saucers to read the residual coffee grounds. After a while, the cups are opened and imagination begins to speak — upcoming trips, lucky events, money, love or anything about life.
The casual coffee-reading sessions at home have now become a professional sector at coffee shops. There are even online coffee readers — all you need to do is send a photo of the shapes the coffee residue has formed inside the cup.
In Turkey, there are now plenty of other options for coffee. Leading international brands such as Starbucks, Gloria Jean’s, Illy, Robert’s, Caffe Nero, Barnie’s, John’s, Lavazza and Schiller’s have opened hundreds of shops across the country since 1999. A total of 31 local and foreign brands ran 1,178 shops in 2015, and the number is estimated to have exceeded 1,200 this year. Starbucks alone has more than 200 shops. A famous coffee brand can be found on almost every big avenue and in every shopping mall. The coffee shops offer internet connections and often have special tables suitable for studying, which has made them the new meeting place for the young.
