WHAT: The Rogers Family Company (www.rogersfamilyco.com) - a family-owned producer and roaster of organic and "Fairly Traded" branded gourmet coffee and tea sold under various brands nationwide - on August 14 will hold:

        1)  The Grand Opening of its state-of-the-art gourmet coffee roasting
            plant and new headquarters in Lincoln, Calif.

        2)  A celebration of its 30th Anniversary of doing business - and
            making a difference - in California and in communities thousands
            of miles away.

        3)  What may be the largest and most diverse assembly of coffee
            farmers/families - from nine countries ranging from Mexico to
            Rwanda - ever held in the U.S.  As part of the Rogers Family
            Company's 4th Annual Coffee Farmers Convention, the farmers will
            visit the region's Shenandoah Valley wineries on a tour hosted by
            University of California, Davis agricultural specialists.

WHO: Estimated 250 guests: gourmet coffee farmers from Mexico, Rwanda, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemala; Rogers Family Company customers, employees, Lincoln Mayor Spencer Short, representatives of Senator Sam Aanestad, Congressman Tom McClintock, Assemblyman Ted Gaines and UC Davis agricultural specialists and students.

WHERE: The Rogers Family Company - 1731 Aviation Boulevard, Lincoln, Calif.

WHEN: Friday, Aug. 14 - 2:30 p.m. through the evening - tour and 'blessing' of the new roasting plant/HQ and 30th Anniversary/Grand Opening Celebration. 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - meeting with farmers/customers at Lincoln Crossing (offsite).

Saturday, Aug. 15 - Morning through late afternoon - farmers tour wineries with UC Davis agricultural specialists who will use the wine industry as inspiration for what coffee can do for the economy and quality of life in farmers' native countries.

PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES/ANGLES: coffee bean roasting/packaging process; state-of-the-art roasting plant (roasts approximately 40 million pounds annually): Interviews: coffee farmers and Rogers Family Company officials. The farmers can discuss myriad issues including their partnership with the Rogers Family Company to practice socially and environmentally responsible production via the company's "Coffee Community Aid" program and "Fairly Traded" approach.

Farmers can also discuss the unique challenges and aspects - including fluctuating weather and markets, natural disasters along with improvements in living and working conditions - of growing coffee: the world's second-largest traded commodity after oil. They and company officials can discuss benefits of going organic and how "Community Aid" - with customers' help - has completed hundreds of social and environmental projects at coffee farms. Community Aid projects include building modern housing units, medical clinics, dozens of schools and day care centers, providing doctors, nurses, teachers, food and clothing, clean drinking water and 'green' energy systems while protecting native plants and wildlife.

NOTE: Pete Rogers, the Rogers Family Company's green coffee buyer who spends three to four months each year in the world's premier coffee growing regions, is FLUENT IN SPANISH.

ABOUT THE ROGERS FAMILY COMPANY: Headquartered in Lincoln, California, The Rogers Family Company is one of the nation's leading roasters and producers of branded gourmet coffee and tea. The company supplies "Responsibly Grown, Fairly Traded" gourmet coffee and tea to customers worldwide through various divisions and brands which include the Organic Coffee Company and San Francisco Bay Premium Gourmet Coffee. The company maintains a regional sales office in San Leandro where it was headquartered for many years.

    Pete Rogers, Jon B. Rogers,        Jim Zelinski/Zelinski Public Relations
    Lisa Smoot, John W. Rogers,        (For the Rogers Family Company)
    Jim Rogers                         925/242-0918 or 415/420-6050
    The Rogers Family Company
    916/258-8000