Market Basket, a beloved New England grocery chain with over 90 stores, is embroiled in another family feud. The company’s board of directors has placed CEO Arthur T. Demoulas on leave due to oversight concerns and disputed succession plans.
The move comes as no surprise, given the long-running power struggle between Demoulas and his cousin, Arthur S. Demoulas, who previously ousted him as CEO in 2014. The feud has persisted for decades, with both sides of the family vying for control of the company founded by their father, Athanasios “Arthur” Demoulas, in 1917.
Demoulas was placed on paid leave after the board alleged that he had planned a work stoppage to disrupt the business and retaliate against them. The board also claimed that Demoulas resisted an appropriate succession plan for Market Basket, asserting his unilateral right to appoint his children as successors without the board’s input.
However, a spokesperson for Demoulas called the move “a farcical cover for a hostile takeover” and claimed that the company is thriving financially at this time. The dispute has sparked concerns about the future of the company and its employees, who are being closely watched to see how the situation unfolds.
The latest development in the ongoing saga marks another chapter in the epic struggle between two factions of the Demoulas family, each with their own vision for the future of Market Basket. As one store manager famously said about Demoulas, “Mr. Demoulas is the heart and soul of Market Basket.” The fate of the company, its employees, and its customers hangs in the balance as this drama continues to unfold.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/29/nx-s1-5415662/market-basket-ceo-demoulas-leave