The Globe and Mail Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account Getting audio file ... This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy. Full Disclaimer Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail Sobeys owner Empire Company Ltd. is expanding its presence in Ontario, with a $357-million deal to buy 51 per cent of grocery store chain Longo’s and its e-commerce service, Grocery Gateway. The deal announced on Tuesday adds 36 Longo’s stores in the Greater Toronto Area and Southern Ontario to Empire’s retail portfolio. The Stellarton, N.S.-based grocer already owns banners that include Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and others. It is also the second acquisition of a smaller Ontario grocer since Michael Medline was appointed Empire’s chief executive in 2017 – the following year, the company bought a majority stake in Farm Boy. Like that chain, Longo’s will continue to operate as a separate business, led by its current management.