Dallas just got itself a new power couple in the caffeine and sugar game. White Rhino Coffee has bought Emporium Pies, the Bishop Arts pie darling that grew into four Dallas-Fort Worth shops. The baking team is sticking around, and at least one former owner will stay on staff. Both companies say customers will not see big changes right away, but the deal quietly sets up a future of shared menus and bigger ambitions.
How the sale was announced
The sale dropped this week via a company news release. White Rhino said it intends to explore growing Emporium’s footprint across Dallas-Fort Worth and to roll out careful, long-term collaborations between the brands, according to The Dallas Morning News. The price tag on the deal is staying under wraps.
What Emporium Pies brings to the table
Emporium Pies started life as a pop-up in a 1930s Bishop Arts bungalow and has since grown into four storefronts listed on its site: Bishop Arts, Deep Ellum, McKinney and Fort Worth. The sisters who bought the company in 2022 have stepped away from the business, but the baking staff and co-owner Addie Roberts are staying put to guard the recipes and keep day-to-day operations on track, according to Emporium Pies' website.
Why the fit makes sense
White Rhino opened in 2007 as a neighborhood roastery and café and now runs roughly a dozen locations across North Texas. That gives Emporium a built-in roasting and wholesale network to plug into, a handy perk as the pie shop looks beyond its current four stores.
In announcing the deal, White Rhino CEO Sara Escamilla called Emporium an "extraordinary legacy" brand, underscoring the company’s fan base and reputation, according to the Dallas Observer.
What customers will see next
For customers, the changes should feel more like a slow roll than a sudden makeover. Expect gradual menu mash-ups, including curated pie-and-coffee pairings, plus White Rhino-branded coffee and cold brew on tap at Emporium locations by the end of the year, according to Axios.
For now, the two companies say they will keep operating their stores independently while leadership figures out how to combine kitchens and beverage programs without losing what regulars already love, according to D Magazine.
What to watch
The deal keeps Emporium in the orbit of majority women-owned businesses and gives the pie brand a clearer runway into catering and wholesale through White Rhino’s existing channels, industry observers note, according to Fast Casual.
If the partnership delivers as promised, Dallas could see more corners where you can get a serious cup of coffee and a serious slice of pie under the same roof. No complaints there.
