Waitrose in talks to swallow EAT -report

LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - British supermarket Waitrose is in exclusive talks to buy sandwich bar and coffee chain EAT, The Sunday Times reported, without citing sources. The supermarket, which is owned by department stores group John Lewis [JLP.UL], had been given a month to finalise a deal, with a price tag on the chain of about 100 million pounds ($148 million), the report said.

EAT, which was founded 13 years ago by Niall and Faith MacArthur, who are understood to own about 45 percent of the shares, has 100 branches selling sandwiches, soups, pies and drinks.

Waitrose was thought to be planning to open EAT cafes inside its supermarkets and to sell Waitrose food in EAT stores, The Sunday Times said.

Waitrose declined to comment on the report, while EAT was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Paul Sandle, editing by Will Waterman) ($1=.6738 Pound)