<div> Puregold Price Club Inc. is buying the company that owns and operates the Eunilaine Foodmart and Grocer E Supermart brands, further expanding its chain of wholesale and retail outlets.</div><div> </div><div> Lucio Co-led Puregold said its board on Monday the nod to buy 100 percent of Company E Corporation, which owns 11 Grocer E supermarts and four Eunilane foodmarts in Metro Manila and Calabrzon area.</div><div> </div><div> The acquisition is in line with its goal to hit 200 outlets by 2015 its aim to strengthen its foothold in the supermarket industry – currently dominated by the SM Group of tycoon Henry Sy.</div><div> </div><div> The second biggest supermarket operator Puregold logged a branch network of 156 as of end-2012, including 131 Puregold stores, 19 Parco supermarkets and six S&R warehouse membership shopping clubs. </div><div> </div><div> This year, the group is targeting to open 25 new stores and one S&R outlet and to make its first foray in Mindanao with a Puregold Hypermart in Cagayan de Oro – slated to open in the third quarter – as well as a S&R store in Davao.</div><div> </div><div> The company is also looking at Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, and Bohol as sites for expansion. — <strong>VS, GMA News</strong></div>