Empire Company Ltd. has reached an agreement to acquire nine Morelli’s pharmacies located inside Longo’s grocery stores in Ontario, with the locations to be rebranded as Longo’s Pharmacy and integrated into Sobeys Inc.’s national pharmacy operations.
The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals from the Ontario College of Pharmacists. It is expected to close in the second quarter of Empire’s 2027 fiscal year.
Pharmacy expansion
The acquisition will expand Empire’s pharmacy operations in Ontario through nine locations already operating within Longo’s stores.
Morelli’s Pharmacy was founded by Gerry Morelli in 1990 and provides dispensing and clinical pharmacy services in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. The first Morelli’s pharmacy inside a Longo’s store opened in 2005, followed by eight additional in-store locations.
“Morelli’s has been a vital part of our Longo’s community for decades, providing expert pharmacy services and dispensing,” said Deb Craven, President, Longo’s. “We will continue to offer our guests and patients the same care and trust that Morelli’s is known for, while providing the benefit of Empire’s scale, operational expertise and long-term commitment to advancing pharmacy-led primary care in Canada.”
Integration into Sobeys operations
Empire said the move will allow the pharmacies to operate under the new brand name while remaining part of those grocery-store locations.
“The acquisition of nine Morelli’s pharmacies provides Empire with a strategic opportunity to grow the Ontario pharmacy network with an established and trusted partner already embedded in Longo’s day-to-day operations,” said Doug Nathanson, General Counsel and Chief Pharmacy & Development Officer. “The conversion to Longo’s Pharmacy ensures the continuity of exceptional patient and customer service, while also providing the opportunity for Empire to diversify its brand offering to new patients and Longo’s guests.”
The deal does not provide a purchase price or other financial terms.
Empire and Longo’s
Empire is headquartered in Stellarton, N.S., and operates primarily in food retailing through wholly owned subsidiary Sobeys Inc., as well as related real estate operations. The company reported approximately $32 billion in annual sales and $17 billion in assets, with Empire and its subsidiaries, franchisees and affiliates employing approximately 130,000 people.
Longo’s is a family-operated Canadian company that began in 1956 when brothers Tommy, Joe and Gus opened their first fruit market. It now operates 44 stores in communities across Toronto and the GTA.
The pharmacy acquisition is subject to the required regulatory approvals before it can be completed.
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