Quick answerMocha (Al-Makha) is a port town on Yemen's Red Sea coast. In the 1600s and 1700s it was the world's main coffee export hub, shipping beans from Yemen's highlands to Europe and Asia. Traders called the coffee "Mocha," and the name later attached to chocolate-coffee drinks because of the beans' natural cocoa notes.
Mocha's golden age
Dutch, English and French merchants built trading houses there. Beans from inland mountain farms travelled by camel to the coast.
Decline
As coffee cultivation spread to colonies and newer ports grew, Mocha's trade declined, but its name lived on.
Mocha today
The name still signals Yemeni origin. Our Al-Aqeeq Mocha Yemeni honors that heritage. See also Caffè Mocha facts.
Frequently asked questions
Is mocha coffee from Mocha?
Historically yes; today "mocha" often means a chocolate drink.
Where is Mocha?
On the southwestern Red Sea coast of Yemen.
Is it related to Mocha Java?
Yes, Mocha Java is a classic blend of Yemeni and Javanese coffee.
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