Nova Scotia based Empire is the parent company of the Sobeys and Safeway supermarket chains. It also owns the FreshCo, IGA, Thrifty, and Lawton’s Drug Stores banners and recently purchased the Farm Boy chain of 26 urban market food stores in Ontario for $800 million. As well, it has 41.5% of Crombie REIT, which owns many of its supermarket locations. Empire owns 1,500 stores, 350 gas stations, and employs approximately 125,000 people.