Starting from from two trucks and a warehouse in Atlanta, GA in 1940, Empire is now in its third generation of family leadership. But David and Michael Kahn, today’s company leaders, have something their grandfather and founder, Max Kahn, never had – the backing and resources of Berkshire Hathaway. This partnership has allowed us to grow rapidly while constantly investing in our distribution facilities, fleet, technology and people so we can offer our brands every advantage possible.
80 Years of Empire
- 1940: Max Kahn begins Empire Distributors, Inc.
- 1942: Max leaves his flourishing business in the hands of associates to fight in WWII.
- 1984: Empire expands into North Carolina via acquisitions of multiple distributors.
- 2010: Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway entered an agreement with Kahn Ventures making Empire and Empire NC subsidiaries of Berkshire and its distribution company, McLane Company.
- 2010: Empire expands into Tennessee via acquisition of Horizon Wine & Spirits.
- 2012: Empire continues its expansion into Tennessee with the acquisiton of Delta Wholesale Liquors (Memphis, TN).
- 2013: Empire North Carolina expands into Winston Salem and Greensboro markets with the acquisition of Wisdom Beverage to become a statewide, full-service beverage distributor covering all 100 counties in NC.
- 2014: The company takes a giant leap westward to serve Colorado via an acquisiton of Baroness Small Estates.
- 2017: Empire makes its third acquisition, B&T Distributing Company in Knoxville, Tennessee, to become the largest, statewide spirits and wine wholesaler in Tennessee. Empire consolidates all of the acquired companies into Empire Distributors of Tennessee, Inc.
- 2017: Empire acquires Volio Vino, Inc., a fine wine wholesaler in Denver, CO. In conjunction with Baroness Small Estates, Empire Distributors of Colorado, Inc. forms, becoming one of the top five distributors in the state.
- 2019: Empire invests in a new 602,000 sq. ft. state of the art facility to house their Georgia logistical operations and corporate headquarters in Austell, Georgia.
