The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, July 11, edition that MTY Food Group is taking a bite out of its own empire, closing 68 underperforming stores over the next nine months. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that MTY operates restaurants under 80 brands, including Thai Express, Manchu Wok and Baton Rouge. It announced the reduction Friday. It said the closings will span some Papa Murphy's locations but did not disclose what other banners are part of the cull. Chief executive officer Eric Lefebvre put the blame on a lack of sales. The closing locations have collectively lost the company more than $10-million in the past year and for the most part, their performance was "deteriorating." Mr. Lefebvre said: "The decision will reduce our store count in the near term, but we believe it is the right long-term action for the business. It will allow us to reduce losses, improve the quality of the corporate store portfolio and focus our resources on locations and brands with stronger return potential." MTY has 7,040 locations. The vast majority are franchised or under operator agreements and more than half are in the U.S. About 230 -- including the 68 closing -- are corporately-owned.