Sobeys Sobeys Inc. is the second largest grocery store chain in Canada (the largest is Loblaw). Sobeys distinguishes itself from Loblaw by offering better quality fresh food and customer service. Sobeys grew out of Nova Scotia mostly through acquisition of other grocery chains. The integration of the latest acquisition, Safeway Canada (over 200 stores in Western Canada), has been challenging. Sobeys now owns 908 grocery stores and franchises 977 stores throughout Canada. Sobeys has revenues of over $24 billion and employs over 125,000 people. Sobeys is also a wholesaler to over 8,000 retail accounts. Sobeys has five different store sizes and formats, and uses them in each location based on market size and customer demographics. There is the large full-service format (such as Sobeys, Sobeys extra. IGA extra, Safeway and Thrifty Foods); urban fresh format (such as Sobeys Urban Fresh and IGA in Quebec): small community format (such as Foodlaid, March Bonichoix, and Les Marchs Tradition); discount format (such as FreshCo and Price Chopper); and convenience format (such as Needs Convenience and IGA express). Approximately 350 large full-service stores have in-store pharmacies. Sobeys also has a chain of 78 drugstores (Lawtons Drugs) in Atlantic Canada, over 300 retail gas stations, and 80 liquor stores. $4" 3 $3 Sam Deo/Alamy Stock Images In addition to national brands, Sobeys has its own private label brands: Compliments (over 5,000 products) and Signal. Sobeys also has its own manufacturer-Big 8 Beverages-for its private label soft drinks and water in Atlantic Canada. Sobeys is a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited, which also has a 41.5 percent equity interest in Crombie REIT, a real estate development and management company. Crombie owns the buildings and shopping plazas that Sobeys stores occupy, as well as other properties. Sobeys has implemented SAP (an enterprise resource planning software) nationwide and across its brand stores. The stores are organized by region: Atlantic Canada/Ontario, Quebec, and Western Canada.