Inside the turmoil at Sobeys-owned stores after ransomware attack | CBC News. Employees of Empire Co., the parent company of Sobeys, have begun to speak out about the turmoil unfolding inside the grocery chain since a ransomware attack began plaguing its computer systems earlier this month. Workers from across the country say some stores have run short of items because orders cannot be placed as usual, while at others, food that had gone bad initially either piled up or was frozen because it couldn’t be removed from the inventory system. Pharmacies were unable to fill new prescriptions for a week, customers cannot redeem loyalty points or use gift cards, and staff were concerned last week they wouldn’t get paid because the payroll system is down. Third-party company: Empire Co..