Finding Purpose Far Beyond Profits

TORRANCE, Calif., April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to sustainability, Farmer Bros. Co. (NASDAQ: FARM) has released its 2013 Sustainability Report, highlighting the company's approach to scaling sustainability, supporting communities, reducing energy/water usage, and reducing waste. The report serves as a summary of the impact of activities and initiatives undertaken by Farmer Brothers at home and around the globe in 2013. The company made tremendous strides in achieving its sustainability goals.

The 2013 Sustainability Report asks important questions, such as "How can we keep farming families from going hungry?" and "How can coffee adapt to a changing climate?" and "Can we ever get to zero waste?"  Then, it details the solutions developed by the Farmer Brothers team. It covers Farmer Brothers' approach to growing a business while shrinking an environmental footprint and the company's ongoing efforts to make an impact beyond the delivery of coffee. Also included is an overview of specific investments and partnerships that had positive impacts in 2013, including $50,000 in coffee leaf rust interventions; $18,000 in microloans to women growers in Nicaragua; and $100,000 towards World Coffee Research, an organization Farmer Brothers co-founded to establish a strategic, scientific approach for supply development, crop resiliency, climate change mitigation, and quality improvements.

"The first principle of business at Farmer Brothers is to 'cherish the act of service.' For over 100 years, we've built our company by living this value--focusing on service to our customers, our employees, and our community," says Mike Keown, Farmer Brothers President and CEO, in the report's introduction. "But as we look toward the future, it's clear that service can and should mean something much more. It should extend to every person in our supply chain and every community that we touch."

2013 Sustainability Report Highlights include:

153% increase in the purchase of responsibly sourced coffee
30% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions
61% increase in renewable energy equivalent to electricity
35% increase in biodegradable / recyclable finished packaging
99% increase in biodegradable / recyclable shipping packaging

The full report is available at http://www.farmerbros.com/media/FarmerBrothers_Sust_2013.pdf

About Farmer Bros. Co.

Farmer Bros. Co., or "Farmer Brothers," is a leading national roaster, manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor of high-quality branded and private label coffees, teas, spices and culinary products to foodservice, convenience stores and grocery retailers. The company operates one of the country's largest, most complete direct-store-delivery (DSD) distribution networks serving national, regional and local accounts. More than 110 branches throughout the contiguous United States help ensure on-time delivery of premium-quality products, equipment support, personal customer service and shared expertise.

Since 1912, Farmer Brothers has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, expertise and innovation in the industry, and company executives hold key positions in such industry organizations as World Coffee Research, Pacific Coast Coffee Association, Coffee Quality Institute, Alliance for Coffee Excellence, the Roasters Guild and International Women's Coffee Alliance, as well as the presidency of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA).

In addition to operating three roasting facilities (including one of the first in the Northwest to achieve LEED^® Silver Certification), six major distribution centers, and branches in every major American market, Farmer Brothers was among the first coffee roasters in the nation to receive SCAA-certification of a state-of-the-art coffee lab. It also operates Public Domain^®, a nationally recognized specialty coffeehouse in Portland, Ore. Plus, Farmer Brothers is committed to social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Headquartered in Torrance, Calif., Farmer Brothers generated net sales of over $500 million in fiscal 2013 and has approximately 1,800 employees nationwide. The company's primary brands include Farmer Brothers^®, Artisan Collection by Farmer Brothers™, Superior^®, Metropolitan™, Cain's™ and McGarvey™. For more information, please visit www.FarmerBros.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements." When used in this press release, the words "will," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and "believes," and similar expressions and statements that are made in the future tense or refer to future events or developments, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Farmer Bros. Co.