COFFEE HOLDING CO INC

The summary compensation table below summarizes information concerning compensation for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2022 of the individuals who served as President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Andrew Gordon) and Executive Vice President — Operations and Secretary (David Gordon). We refer to these individuals as the “Named Executive Officers.”

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

The following table sets forth information with respect to the compensation of our Named Executive Officers for services in all capacities to us and our subsidiaries.

Narrative to Summary Compensation Table

Overview

Our Compensation Committee has responsibility for establishing, implementing and monitoring adherence with our compensation philosophy. In that regard, the Compensation Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the JVA Board in the areas of employee salaries and benefit programs. The Compensation Committee ensures that the total compensation paid to our executive leadership team is fair and reasonable. Generally, the types of compensation and benefits provided to members of the executive leadership team, including the Named Executive Officers, are similar to those provided to our other officers and employees.

Compensation Components

Our compensation program for Named Executive Officers consists generally of base salary and annual bonuses. These elements are intended to provide an overall compensation package that is commensurate with our financial resources, that is appropriate to assure the retention of experienced management personnel, and that aligns their financial interests with those of our stockholders. We pay our Named Executive Officers commensurate with their experience and responsibilities.

***Base Salary.***Each of our Named Executive Officers receives a base salary to compensate him for services performed during the year. The base salaries of our Named Executive Officers are established annually by the JVA Board upon recommendation by the Compensation Committee. When determining the base salary for each of our Named Executive Officers, the Compensation Committee considers the performance of the Named Executive Officer, the duties of the Named Executive Officer, the experience of the Named Executive Officer in his position and salary levels of the companies in our peer group. Salary levels are also intended to reflect our financial performance. We have entered into employment agreements with each of the Named Executive Officers that provide for minimum annual base salaries. The Named Executive Officers are eligible for annual increases in their base salaries as a result of company performance, individual performance and any added responsibility since their last salary increase.

***Annual Bonus.***Our Named Executive Officers are eligible to receive annual cash bonuses. These bonuses are intended to reward the achievement of corporate goals and individual performance objectives. The bonus levels are intended to be competitive with those typically paid by the companies in our peer group and commensurate with the Named Executive Officers’ successful execution of duties and responsibilities.

***Equity Compensation.***At the 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, our stockholders approved the 2013 Equity Compensation Plan. Through the 2013 Equity Compensation Plan, we provide our employees, including our Named Executive Officers, with equity incentives that help align their interests with those of our stockholders by tying the value delivered to our Named Executive Officers to the value of our shares of common stock. We also believe that stock option grants to our Named Executive Officers provide them with long-term incentives that will aid in retaining executive talent by providing opportunities to be compensated through the Company’s performance and rewarding executives for creating shareholder value over the long-term.

During the years ended October 31, 2023, and October 31, 2022 we did not grant any stock option awards to the Named Executive Officers. During the year ended October 31, 2019, we granted stock option awards to the Named Executive Officers to purchase an aggregate of 630,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $5.43 per share. The stock options are fully vested.

Implementation for Fiscal Year 2023

For the 2023 fiscal year, Andrew Gordon received a base salary of $304,535 and an annual bonus of $20,000. David Gordon received a base salary of $270,400 and an annual bonus of $15,000.

As stated above, on April 18, 2019, Andrew Gordon was granted a stock option to purchase 349,000 shares of common stock, and David Gordon was granted a stock option to purchase 281,000 shares of common stock. The stock options have an exercise price of $5.43 and are completely vested.

Compensation Decision-Making Policies and Procedures

***Decision-Making and Policy-Making.***As a Nasdaq listed company, we must observe governance standards that require executive officer compensation decisions to be made by the independent director members of our Board or by a committee of independent directors. Consistent with these requirements, our Board has established a Compensation Committee all of whose members are independent directors.

The Compensation Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to our Board in the areas of employee salaries and benefit programs. Compensation may consist of three components: (1) base salary; (2) bonuses; and (3) long-term incentives (e.g., deferred compensation and fringe benefits).

The Compensation Committee generally meets at least once each year or acts by written consent. It considers the expectations of the Chief Executive Officer with respect to his own compensation and his recommendations with respect to the compensation of more junior executive officers, as well as empirical data on compensation practices at peer group companies. The Compensation Committee does not delegate its duties to others.

Employment Agreements

We have entered into employment agreements with Andrew Gordon to secure his continued service as President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and with David Gordon to secure his continued service as Executive Vice President — Operations and Secretary. These employment agreements have rolling five-year terms that began on May 6, 2005. These agreements may be converted to a fixed five-year term by the decision of our Board or the executive. These agreements provide for minimum annual salaries, discretionary cash bonuses, and participation on generally applicable terms and conditions in other compensation and fringe benefit plans. The employment agreements also guarantee customary corporate indemnification and errors and omissions insurance coverage throughout the employment term and thereafter for so long as the executives are subject to liability for such service to the extent permissible by the Nevada Revised Statutes.

The terms of the employment agreements provide that each executive will be entitled to severance benefits if his employment is terminated without “cause” or if he resigns for “good reason” or following a “change in control” (as such terms will be defined in the employment agreements) equal to the value of the cash compensation and fringe benefits that he would have received if he had continued working for the remaining unexpired term of the agreement. The employment agreements also provide uninsured disability benefits. During the term of the employment agreements and, in case of discharge with “cause” or resignation without “good reason,” for a period of one year thereafter, the executives are subject to (1) restrictions on competition with us; and (2) restrictions on the solicitation of our customers and employees. For all periods during and after the term of the employment agreements, the executives are subject to nondisclosure and restrictions relating to our confidential information and trade secrets.

The employment agreements provide that in the event either executive terminates employment in connection with a change in control under circumstances entitling him to severance benefits, and it is determined that the executive would be subject to a 20% excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code which applies to certain “excess parachute payments” (the “Excise Tax”), we will pay the executive a “Tax Indemnity Payment” such that the net amount received by the executive after payment of such Excise Tax, and any federal, Medicare and state and local income taxes and Excise Tax upon the Tax Indemnity Payment, will be equal to the payments the executive would have retained had there been no Excise Tax. The effect of this provision is that we, and not the executives, bear the financial cost of the Excise Tax. In accordance with Section 280G of the Code, we cannot claim a federal income tax deduction for payments subject to the Excise Tax, including the Tax Indemnity Payment.

Potential Payments Upon a Change of Control

Under the 2013 Equity Compensation Plan, in the event of a change in control (as defined in the 2013 Equity Compensation Plan), the Compensation Committee may, at the time of the grant of an award provide for, among other things, the (i) accelerating or extending the time periods for exercising, vesting in, or realizing gain from any award, (ii) eliminating or modifying the performance or other conditions of an award, or (iii) providing for the cash settlement of an award for an equivalent cash value, as determined by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee may, in its discretion and without the need for the consent of any recipient of an award, also take one or more of the following actions contingent upon the occurrence of a change in control: (a) cause any or all outstanding options and stock appreciation rights to become immediately exercisable, in whole or in part; (b) cause any other awards to become non-forfeitable, in whole or in part; (c) cancel any option or stock appreciation right in exchange for a substitute option; (d) cancel any award of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares or performance units in exchange for a similar award of the capital stock of any successor corporation; (e) redeem any restricted stock, restricted stock unit, performance share or performance unit for cash and/or other substitute consideration with a value equal to the fair market value of an unrestricted share of our common stock on the date of the change in control; (f) cancel any option or stock appreciation right in exchange for cash and/or other substitute consideration based on the value of our common stock on the date of the change in control*,* and cancel any option or stock appreciation right without any payment if its exercise price exceeds the value of our common stock on the date of the change in control; or (g) make such other modifications, adjustments or amendments to outstanding awards as the Compensation Committee deems necessary or appropriate. To date, there have been 689,000 options granted under the 2013 Equity Compensation Plan to the Named Executive Officers.

Other than the severance benefits described under “Employment Agreements” and the potential payments described under “Potential Payments Upon a Change of Control” above, we do not maintain contracts, agreements, plans or arrangements that provide for payments to the Named Executive Officers at, following, or in connection with any termination of employment.

Deferred Compensation Plan for Executive Officers

In January 2005, we established the Coffee Holding Co., Inc. Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan for Named Executive Officers. Currently, Andrew Gordon is the only participant in the plan. Each Named Executive Officer who participates in the plan may defer receipt of all or a portion of his annual cash compensation received from Coffee Holding. The deferred amounts are allocated to a deferral account and credited with interest according to the investment classifications made available by the JVA Board. The plan is an unfunded, non-qualified plan that provides for distribution of the amounts deferred to participants or their designated beneficiaries upon the occurrence of certain events. The amounts deferred, and related investment earnings, are held in a corporate account for the benefit of participating Named Executive Officers until such amounts are distributed pursuant to the terms of the plan.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding stock options awarded to each of our Named Executive Officers as of October 31, 2023.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding stock options and rights and shares reserved for future issuance under our existing equity compensation plans as of October 31, 2023.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Non-employee directors receive $800 per Board meeting and committee meeting attended in person and $400 per each JVA Board meeting and committee meeting attended telephonically. Non-employee directors are also reimbursed for travel expenses and other out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with attendance at Board and committee meetings.

Total directors’ meeting and committee fees for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 were $10,400. We do not compensate our employee directors for service as directors. Directors are also entitled to the protection of certain indemnification provisions in our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned by our non-employee directors during the 2023 fiscal year.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION TABLE