Headquartered in Stellarton, Canada, Empire Company Limited, established in 1907, is a prominent player in Canadian food retail and related real estate. Its operations are bifurcated into Food Retailing, and Investments and Other Operations. Under its retail division, the company owns, affiliates with, or franchises approximately 1,600 stores nationwide, operating under well-known banners such as Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Farm Boy, Longo's, and Lawtons Drugs. Additionally, it oversees about 350 retail fuel stations and manages various e-commerce grocery platforms, including Voilà, Grocery Gateway, IGA.net, and ThriftyFoods.com. Within its investment segment, Empire holds a significant interest in Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust, which is dedicated to the ownership, operation, and development of commercial properties, particularly those anchored by grocery and pharmacy businesses, encompassing shopping centers, standalone units, and mixed-use developments. The company also possesses equity interests in Genstar partnerships, which are involved in residential real estate development across Ontario, Western Canada, and the United States.
