Farmer Bros. Co. (FARM)

Farmer Bros. Co., also known as Farmer Brothers Coffee, was founded in 1912 and was one of the older publicly traded coffee roasters in the United States. For much of its history it was based in Torrance, California, and in the late 2010s it relocated its headquarters to Northlake, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Its common stock traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol FARM.

The company roasted, packaged, and distributed coffee, tea, and related culinary products to foodservice customers. Its portfolio included roast and ground coffee, frozen liquid coffee, flavored and unflavored teas, cold brew concentrates, spices, sauces, and beverage ingredients, along with supplies such as filters, cups, and creamers. It also installed, repaired, and refurbished coffee and beverage equipment for customers.

Farmer Bros. sold to a range of buyers, including independent restaurants, hotels, healthcare and educational institutions, convenience stores, and national accounts. A distinguishing feature was its direct-store-delivery model, in which company routes delivered to customers from branch warehouses, complemented by common carriers, third-party distributors, and online sales. As of mid-2022 the company reported operating 239 delivery routes and 103 branch warehouses.

Over time the company faced pressure from commodity coffee price volatility, inflation in labor and freight, and declining profitability, and its share price fell to multi-decade lows before the 2026 transaction. These conditions form the background to the sale of the business.

On March 9, 2026, Farmer Bros. announced that it had agreed to be acquired by Royal Cup Coffee & Tea, a Birmingham-based distributor founded in 1896 that serves customers in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The agreement provided for an all-cash payment of $1.29 per share, valuing the equity at roughly $28 million based on about 21.7 million shares outstanding. Braemont Capital, a Dallas-based investment firm, was reported as a backer of the transaction.

The Farmer Bros. board of directors unanimously approved the agreement and recommended that stockholders vote in favor. Stockholders approved the acquisition at a special meeting held on May 1, 2026.

The company announced the successful closing of the take-private transaction on May 5, 2026, the same date a Form 25 was filed to remove its common stock from listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Farmer Bros. became a privately held company and its shares ceased trading.