The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, a little foam on top, and a conversation that lasts rather longer than the drink itself: few pleasures are as familiar as a cup of Turkish coffee.
For many households across Türkiye, North Cyprus and the Turkish diaspora, that ritual comes with an equally familiar name — Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi. With its distinctive coffee-drinker logo and finely ground coffee, the brand has become part of the fabric of everyday life, at work and at family gatherings, or after a meal at a restaurant.
As we celebrate International Coffee Day on 1 October, there is another milestone worth raising a fincan to: Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi’s 155th anniversary.
Founded in Istanbul in 1871, this family business has a story almost as rich as the coffee it sells, taking in pioneering ideas, beautiful design and even an old cannon given an unexpected new purpose. Put the cezve on — here are ten things you might not know about this much-loved Turkish coffee institution.
1. It all began with a teenage entrepreneur
Born in Istanbul’s Fatih district in 1857, Mehmet Efendi took over his father Hacı Hasan Efendi’s spice and coffee business in 1871 — making him approximately 14 years old. A century and a half before teenage start-up founders became fashionable, young Mehmet was already making his mark.
2. The big idea that saved customers a lot of work
Coffee was commonly bought as green beans, which people roasted and ground at home. Mehmet Efendi began doing those jobs himself, selling freshly roasted and ground coffee in small paper bags.
The company credits him with pioneering ready-to-use, packaged Turkish coffee: customers could get straight to brewing their favourite drink.
3. A new family surname
“Kurukahveci” describes a seller of roasted, ground coffee, distinguishing the trade from serving brewed coffee. Mehmet became known by that name through his work, and in 1934 the family formally adopted Kurukahveci as its surname. Talk about taking your work home with you!
The familiar figure raising a coffee cup to their lips was created in the early 1930s by pioneering graphic designer İhap Hulusi Görey. Known as Kahve İçen İnsan — “Person Drinking Coffee” — the emblem captures coffee enjoyment with striking simplicity.
Designer Bülent Erkmen made small revisions in the early 1990s, helping preserve its distinctive character for another generation.
5. There’s an Art Deco building to match
Mehmet Efendi’s son Hulusi Bey commissioned architect Zühtü Başar to replace the original Tahmis Sokak shop with an Art Deco headquarters. Its geometric detailing and strong vertical lines make the building part of the brand’s appeal. It remains the company’s headquarters today — a handsome home for a handsome coffee label.
6. Straddling both sides of the Bosphorus
The famous Eminönü shop, beside Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar, remains at 66 Tahmis Sokağı. The company also lists branches in Sirkeci, on the European side, and Kadıköy, on the Asian side. So, an Istanbul visit offers several opportunities to bring home that unmistakable packet of coffee.
7. It understood branding long before social media
Under Mehmet’s sons, the company embraced posters, calendars and motorised deliveries. Its advertising history includes a decorated Opel delivery van in 1938 and its first billboard in 1941.
According to the company’s history, distributing coffee to grocery shops by automobile was a first in Türkiye.
8. One coffee grinder had a rather explosive previous life
Among the quirkiest details in the company’s 2023 Superbrands profile is a grinder dating from the 1950s, reportedly forged from the barrel of an old cannon and still in use when the profile was published. That gives “a powerful coffee” a whole new meaning!
9. A culture house for coffee lovers
An annex designed by architect Han Tümertekin, completed in 2019 beside the historic Eminönü shop, houses more than coffee merchandise. Visitors can discover a coffee library, a collection of Turkish coffee cups and an exhibition about the family business. A coffee stop can become a small cultural excursion.
10. Going global while keeping things in the family
The business remains under family ownership, with Mehmet Efendi's youngest son, (Hasan Selahattin, Hulusi, and Ahmet Rıza) taking over the business after his death in 1931. The second generation helped pioneer mass production of the coffee.
Today, Mehmet Efendi's grandchildren and subsequent descendants mark the third and fourth generations continuing the tradition, whilst modernising and growing this now global brand.
Alongside Turkish coffee, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi also produces expresso and filter coffee, roasted coffee beans and cocoa. Its products are now sold in more than 60 countries across five continents.
Quite a journey from one Istanbul shop.
