White Rhino buys Emporium Pies
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White Rhino and Emporium Pies: a match made in sweet, caffeinated heaven. Photo: Courtesy of White Rhino Coffee
White Rhino Coffee has purchased Emporium Pies, which means you will soon be able to get caffeinated and satiated at the same place.
Why it matters: The Dallas-based companies announced the acquisition Wednesday, saying it will allow them to bring their treats to more North Texans.
Flashback: Former Cedar Hill City Council Member Chris Parvin launched White Rhino in 2007, inspired by a conversation with his pastor about what he would do if he wasn't practicing law. There are now a dozen North Texas locations.
- Megan Wilkes and Mary Sparks got their start in 2012, selling pies from the front porch of a restored 1930s bungalow in Bishop Arts. Three sisters took over Emporium Pies, which has four locations, in 2022.
State of plates: The two businesses will operate as usual for now. White Rhino is exploring the possibility of expanding Emporium Pies' footprint across the region.
- In the long term, customers can expect collaborations between the two brands and more integrated menus. Think coffee and pie pairings.
- The Emporium Pies owners and bakers will stay on to oversee their slice of the overall business.
Between the lines: Like many local businesses, Emporium Pies has seen a decline in sales this year compared to last year, production operations director Addie Roberts tells Axios.
- "2025 was hard on retail across the board," Roberts says, adding that the holiday season has helped sales.
- "It's Thanksgiving, it's Christmas, and so this is typically where we see more pie going out the door," she says.
What's next: The pie shops will start offering White Rhino-branded coffee and cold brew by the end of the year, Roberts says.
- The plan is to expand the menu by next summer.
The bottom line: "For now, it simply means coffee and pie — two of life's best comforts — can be enjoyed across both brands," White Rhino CEO Sara Escamilla said in a news release.