Photo courtesy Farmer Bros.
Farmer Bros. New Texas-Sized Roastery
The new roasting facility has a capacity of 28 million pounds a year.
Strategic move from Los Angeles to Texas paves the way for continued growth.
By Anne-Marie Hardie
NORTHLAKE, Texas
In 1912 Roy E. Farmer began roasting a few pounds of coffee a week in the back of his brother’s bicycle shop. He then sold it door to door. Roy would have found it hard to imagine roasting an average 538,461 pounds a week (28 million pounds a year) before packing and shipping it to 60,000 food and beverage companies across the US.
Farmer Brothers Co. (Farmer Bros.) this spring began operations in a brand new 538,000 sq.ft. Texas-sized headquarters that houses a 100,000 sq.ft. roastery and 315,866 sq.ft. distribution center.
Photo courtesy Farmer Bros.
Farmer Bros. New Texas-Sized Roastery
Farmer Bros.' new headquarters in Northlake, Texas.
The facility design ensures that the latest food safety standards were addressed, and improves overall product quality. Aesthetics was also an important consideration. Farmer Bros. created an expansive, naturally lighted commons with a welcoming atmosphere for employees, visitors, and business clients. The lobby includes a fully-equipped Public Domain coffee bar and comfortable seating so that visitors and employees alike can take a moment to enjoy a cup. Public Domain is the company’s flagship specialty coffee house, an outgrowth of the 2010 acquisition of Coffee Bean International.
Plans for the massive structure were announced in 2015. The Torrance facility, expanded in the 1950s, was costly to operate and presented an obstacle in winning new commercial clients. The transition from Torrance, Calif., was complex, and complicated by a proxy fight to resist the move, but relocating to a modern roastery is expected to save $18-20 million a year while significantly increasing sales.
Farmer Bros. is not the first company to depart California for Texas. FedEx, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Liberty Mutual, and State Farm Insurance, have all recently located their headquarters to the Lone Star state.
The combination of lower labor and operating costs, and lower cost of living made Texas extremely attractive. Farmers Bros. distributes more than 90 million pounds of coffee a year. A central location and access to major trucking, train, and Port Houston transportation networks make the company more competitive.
Photo courtesy Farmer Bros.
Farmer Bros. New Texas-Sized Roastery
Skylights reduce costs and give the new headquarters a welcoming atmosphere.
The Northlake offices, which are near Alliance Airport, feature water-efficient landscaping, reflective paving, and roofing materials as well as low-emission LED lighting. The building was constructed with 10% recycled materials. The headquarters earned a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certificate, and the company is fully committed to science-based targets (SBT) initiative.
SBT supports the Paris agreement to decelerate climate change with a clearly defined pathway specifying how much and how quickly a company can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Farmer Bros. pledged that by 2025, it will have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 11%, across both its roasting and administrative operations. In addition, Farmer Bros. pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions another 7% across the value chain. “We are actively reinforcing our commitment to continuous improvement by holding ourselves accountable to measurable goals that impact people, profit, and planet,” said Molly Laverty, director of sustainability. “In addition to the progress we’ve made within our organization, Farmer Brothers achieved a significant goal as the first coffee focused company to earn approval for its science-based targets,” she said.
The May opening of the new facility was commemorated with a ceremonial first roast, followed by private tours of the roasting plant.
“We’re excited to begin the next chapter in our company’s growth from our beautiful new home,” said Mike Keown, c.e.o. “We anticipate bringing about 225 new jobs to the area, and we’re looking forward to becoming an integral part of Northlake and the surrounding North Texas region.”