Empire has acquired nine Morelli’s Pharmacy locations across the Greater Toronto Area and in Hamilton, expanding its health-care presence in southern Ontario.

The pharmacies will be integrated into the company’s national pharmacy operation and rebranded as Longo’s Pharmacy. Several already operate inside Longo’s grocery stores.

The deal gives Empire a larger pharmacy footprint in Canada’s biggest markets. The locations provide prescriptions, medication consultations and other health and wellness services.

Empire already operates more than 400 in-store and freestanding pharmacies across Canada. Loblaw’s comparable grocery-based network includes full-service pharmacies in close to 500 stores. Beyond its grocery locations, Loblaw operates nearly 1,400 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix pharmacies.

Empire owns Sobeys and holds a 51 per cent interest in Longo’s. It acquired its stake in the specialty grocer and Grocery Gateway in 2021 for $357 million, adding 36 stores to its Ontario network.

Financial terms of the Morelli’s Pharmacy acquisition were not disclosed.