Farmer Bros. Co. said Wednesday it is buying Sara Lee Corp.’s foodservice coffee business for $45 million.

The acquisition of U.S. Direct Store Delivery Foodservice is expected to nearly double the revenue of Torrance-based Farmer Bros., making it the nation’s largest direct-store delivery business for coffee and allied products, the company said in an announcement after markets closed.

Farmer Bros., which roasts coffee and distributes coffee, tea and spices to the institutional foodservice industry, will get several brands, including Superior Coffee, Cain’s, Ireland, Prebica and Royal Kona. It will license the brands back to Downers Grove, Ill-based Sara Lee during a transition period.

Farmer Bros. said it will acquire more than 20,000 new customers, more than 60 branch facilities and a fleet of vehicles. The deal includes a coffee manufacturing plant in Houston and a distribution and spice facility in Oklahoma City.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2009, and will be financed with cash and debt.

Farmer Bros. shares closed up $2.33, or 11 percent, to $23.39 prior to the announcement. The price was up 9 cents in after-market trading.