Kern's Kitchen Gears Up for Derby Pie Season in Louisville

The iconic dessert company is preparing to make, bake, and ship over 80,000 pies ahead of the Kentucky Derby.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 8:07pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic Derby Pie slice repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant, and unnatural neon color palettes overlapping with heavy black photographic outlines to turn the classic dessert into modern pop art.The iconic Derby Pie from Kern's Kitchen has become a beloved tradition in Louisville, with the family-owned company's commitment to quality and nostalgia keeping the classic dessert a must-have for Derby season.Louisville Today

Kern's Kitchen, the family-owned company behind the famous Derby Pie, is ramping up production ahead of the Kentucky Derby season. From January through May, the company will produce and ship more than 80,000 of the signature chocolate-walnut pies, which have been a Derby staple for over 70 years.

Why it matters

Derby Pie has become a beloved tradition in Louisville and across Kentucky, with the rich, decadent dessert serving as an iconic part of the Derby experience for many. Kern's Kitchen's commitment to handmaking each pie using the original recipe has helped the company maintain its reputation for quality and nostalgia over multiple generations.

The details

Kern's Kitchen is now in its fourth generation of family ownership, and the company still makes Derby Pie the same way it has since the first one came out of the oven in 1954. According to co-owner Matt Rupp, the company does 'everything by hand still' to ensure the 'best, highest-quality' product, a process that sets them apart from other pie makers.

  • Kern's Kitchen ramps up Derby Pie production from January through May each year.
  • The first Derby Pie was baked in 1954.

The players

Kern's Kitchen

The family-owned company that has produced the iconic Derby Pie since 1954.

Matt Rupp

Co-owner of Kern's Kitchen who oversees the company's commitment to handmaking each Derby Pie.

Rebecca Rupp

Co-owner of Kern's Kitchen who believes the company's traditional approach to making Derby Pie reflects how they want customers to feel when eating it.

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What they’re saying

“We want to put out the best, highest-quality. So, we do everything by hand still, and this is one of those steps. I don't think anyone else does this, but it's important to us.”

— Matt Rupp, Co-owner, Kern's Kitchen

“When you taste that first bite or your first Derby Pie, we want you to think, 'Oh, this reminds me of sitting on the back porch with grandma.'”

— Rebecca Rupp, Co-owner, Kern's Kitchen

What’s next

Kern's Kitchen will continue its annual ramp-up of Derby Pie production in the coming months, with the goal of having over 80,000 pies ready to ship across the region by the time the Kentucky Derby takes place.

The takeaway

Kern's Kitchen's commitment to handcrafting its iconic Derby Pie using the original recipe has helped the family-owned business maintain its status as a beloved tradition in Louisville and across Kentucky for over seven decades. The company's focus on quality and nostalgia has allowed it to thrive even as the city and the Derby itself have evolved.