FARM Farmer Brothers Company

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

(Rule 13d-101)

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT

TO § 240.13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO

§ 240.13d-2(a)

(Amendment No. 7)¹

Farmer Bros. Co.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

307675108

(CUSIP Number)

Aron R. English

22NW, LP

590 1^st Ave. S

Unit C1

Seattle, Washington 98104

(206) 227-3078

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

 

August 14, 2024

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

 

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box ☒.

Note:  Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits.  See § 240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

 

 

1              The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

22NW Fund, LP

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

WC

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

DELAWARE

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

1,955,526

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

1,955,526

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

1,955,526

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.2%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

PN

  

* Percentage based on 21,264,327 Shares outstanding as of May 6, 2024, as disclosed in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024.

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

22NW, LP

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

OO

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

DELAWARE

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

1,955,526

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

1,955,526

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

1,955,526

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.2%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

PN

  

* Percentage based on 21,264,327 Shares outstanding as of May 6, 2024, as disclosed in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024.

 

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

22NW Fund GP, LLC

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

OO

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

DELAWARE

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

1,955,526

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

1,955,526

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

1,955,526

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.2%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

OO

  

* Percentage based on 21,264,327 Shares outstanding as of May 6, 2024, as disclosed in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024.

 

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

22NW GP, Inc.

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

OO

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

DELAWARE

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

1,955,526

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

1,955,526

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

1,955,526

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.2%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

CO

  

* Percentage based on 21,264,327 Shares outstanding as of May 6, 2024, as disclosed in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024.

 

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

Aron R. English

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

OO, PF

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

USA

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

1,964,536

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

1,964,536

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

1,964,536

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

9.2%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

IN

  

* Percentage based on 21,264,327 Shares outstanding as of May 6, 2024, as disclosed in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024.

 

1

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON

Bryson O. Hirai-Hadley

2

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

(a) ☒

(b) ☐

3

SEC USE ONLY

4

SOURCE OF FUNDS

PF

5

CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)

☐

6

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

USA

NUMBER OF

7

SOLE VOTING POWER

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

1,261

OWNED BY

8

SHARED VOTING POWER

EACH

REPORTING

- 0 -

PERSON WITH

9

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

1,261

10

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

- 0 -

11

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

1,261

12

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

☐

13

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

Less than 1%*

14

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

IN

  

* Percentage based on 21,264,327 Shares outstanding as of May 6, 2024, as disclosed in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2024.

 

The following constitutes Amendment No. 7 to the Schedule 13D filed by the undersigned (“Amendment No. 7”). This Amendment No. 7 amends the Schedule 13D as specifically set forth herein.

 

Item 4.

Purpose of Transaction.

Item 4 is hereby amended to add the following:

On August 14, 2024, the Reporting Persons entered into a letter agreement with the Issuer (the “Agreement”). Pursuant to the Agreement, the Issuer has agreed to appoint an individual designated by the Reporting Persons as an observer (the “Observer”) to the Issuer’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), to serve as such effective August 19, 2024 and until the Termination Date (as defined below). The initial Observer will be Mr. Hirai-Hadley. The Observer will not be a director of the Board or have the right to vote as a director on any matter presented to the Board or any Board committee.

Pursuant to the Agreement, the Reporting Persons have agreed to certain standstill, voting commitment (subject to certain exceptions) and mutual non-disparagement provisions, which remain in effect until the Termination Date. Additionally, the Reporting Persons will be subject to a confidentiality agreement related to the Observer’s role as an observer.

The Agreement will terminate on the date that is the earlier of (i) August 5, 2025 and (ii) written agreement of the parties (the “Termination Date”).

The foregoing description of the Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 6.

Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

Item 6 is hereby amended to add the following:

On August 14, 2024, the Reporting Persons and the Issuer entered into the Agreement as defined and described in Item 4 above and attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Item 7.

Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following exhibit:

99.1

Agreement, dated August 14, 2024 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Issuer with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2024).

 

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: August 16, 2024

 

	22NW FUND, LP
	By:	22NW Fund GP, LLC General Partner
	By:	/s/ Aron R. English
		Name:	Aron R. English
		Title:	Manager

 

 

	22NW, LP
	By:	22NW GP, Inc. General Partner
	By:	/s/ Aron R. English
		Name:	Aron R. English
		Title:	President and Sole Shareholder

 

 

	22NW FUND GP, LLC
	By:	/s/ Aron R. English
		Name:	Aron R. English
		Title:	Manager

 

 

	22NW GP, INC.
	By:	/s/ Aron R. English
		Name:	Aron R. English
		Title:	President and Sole Shareholder

 

 

	/s/ Aron R. English
	ARON R. ENGLISH

 

 

	/s/ Bryson O. Hirai-Hadley
	BRYSON O. HIRAI-HADLEY

 

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