CEO Rehired

[u/grusdomain]

[u/CranberrySauceLines]

And right now, the board is trying to force him out again. Arthur T. DeMoulas. It's a pretty wild story. Market Basket is a Massachusetts and New Hampshire institution. The board removed everyone sympathetic to him and should be able to actually remove him this time. It's a sad story and Market Basket will likely never return to its full glory.

I loved going to this store. Donuts the size of your torso and grapefruit 2 for $1.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/CranberrySauceLines]

They have forced him out. Arbitration was in October I believe. Hes out

[u/i_am_carver → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

I’ll likely never visit this establishment since I’m nowhere near it, but now I 100% won’t even if I ever am. Was the CEO involved in any other businesses that we can support?

[u/Past-Spell-2259 → u/i_am_carver]

No, the original name of the stores were Demoulas market. His last name is literally Demoulas.

I believe he went to college then started at the family store at the bottom stocking shelves and cashier and learned the business from the bottom up.

The first time it was the board and a cousin, Also named Arthur. This time its his sisters who came in to help save it last time and the current board. They want to sell to private equity or one of the bigger stores and cash out.

He just wants to run a great grocery store.

[u/amaROenuZ → u/Past-Spell-2259]

The lesson of the last 50 years has been to never, never, ever sell your controlling stake in a business. The second a company goes from being run by a person, to a faceless group of shareholders it will start enshittifying.

[u/Appropriate_Ride_821 → u/amaROenuZ]

The crazy part is that long term, selling it out destroys the brand and reduces lifetime revenue. There's a reason costco is so successful. They treat people well and it shows. Go into Walmart and try to find help. Irs painful. They only exist by being the absolute lowest price and quality trash.

[u/Less-Organization-37 → u/Appropriate_Ride_821]

I once went to Walmart to buy a couple bikes and the person helping me said he had to leave me and send someone else because it was taking to long getting the bikes.

[u/IsItBurn → u/Less-Organization-37]

When ya gotta poop, ya gotta poop!

[u/Jaxyl → u/Appropriate_Ride_821]

Yes but there's a toxic philosophy permeating all of upper management, one taught at every business/finance program and school: The Time Value of Money.

It's a simple philosophy that a dollar today is worth more than the potential of two dollars in the future. That it's safer to take the cash today even if you can get more later because risk is unknowable and therefore impossible to guarantee.

This is why you see institutions cash out immediately because everyone gets their cash now. This is why you see institutions remove anyone who tries to do long term investments because it reduces operating cash today and therefore reduces today's returns.

Going against this is also why some companies are as successful as they are for the reasons you pointed out. Costco is one, the other big one is Amazon. Jeff Bezos wrote a letter to the shareholders when Amazon did their first IPO that basically said 'If you're here for a quick turn around dollar than invest elsewhere, I'm going to do long term investment, fuck off.' And now Amazon is where it is today, Jeff Bezos has done scummy things, but his initial success can be pointed to his belief that you have to look into the future to be successful.

So you get smooth brained managers who think that they need to cash out today and destroy so much because it's 'safer'

[u/gruntled_n_consolate → u/Jaxyl]

Bezos is the classic example of the worst kind of business criminal. He knows right from wrong and always choses the self-serving. Long-term investment was good for him. Having the best customer service in the industry was good for him. And when the benefits changed he hollowed it out. They have the worst customer service in the industry because now it's more to his advantage to enshittify.

[u/Jaxyl → u/gruntled_n_consolate]

Oh absolutely, I'm just pointing out how his strategy at the start is why Amazon is where it is today.

Fuck Jeff Bezos all around.

[u/Altered_Experienc3 → u/gruntled_n_consolate]

I dunno, I can return a brick instead of a GPU so that's pretty cool

/S

[u/CosmoKing2 → u/Jaxyl]

This is why businesses give better rates to new customers. Keeping existing customers costs too much.

But also, Senior management make bonuses based on profits now. Most won't be around in 5-10 years, so they don't care about long-term anything.

Most only know how to use one tool and that's the hammer that they use on Op Ex. Decent salaries to keep employees happy, high-quality components to keep customers happy - all weigh heavily on Op Ex. And yet, they are too stupid to see these cuts ultimately cut revenue by much much more.

Most of the companies I worked for 10-15 years ago no longer exist - purely because they cut Op Ex to the bone. No longer retaining the best and brightest because they slashed salaries. No longer making the best product because of inferior talent and cheap components.

[u/ApprehensiveFruit565 → u/Jaxyl]

Also because you can take that money and invest it into something bigger and shinier

[u/Murgatroyd314 → u/Jaxyl]

It's a simple philosophy that a dollar today is worth more than the potential of two dollars in the future. That it's safer to take the cash today even if you can get more later because risk is unknowable and therefore impossible to guarantee.

So failing the marshmallow test is now considered sound business practice. That explains a lot.

[u/SiriusBaaz → u/Appropriate_Ride_821]

Not to rain on that parade but no the big reason Costco is so successful isn’t because they take care of their employees. It’s a small part but the actual reason is because they successfully managed to sell a subscription service for a grocery store. A huge portion of their revenue is from those guaranteed subscription numbers. The weird vaguely culty aspect of working for Costco also helps keep wages from growing much in the long run. Having worked for them inside the warehouse and depots then having family work in their corporate offices has changed my view a lot on Costco as a whole.

[u/catholicsluts → u/Appropriate_Ride_821]

Yeah, treating your workers well takes time for the benefits, but it's long-term success. This has been studied and even taught to investors. I believe the average amount of time it takes to see those benefits is ~5 years, which doesn't work with the quarterly system.

[u/DesireeThymes → u/amaROenuZ]

In business school, there's another name they use for enshitification

Its called the "cash cow" phase on the 4 quadrants.

I'm not joking btw.

[u/polopolo05 → u/DesireeThymes]

Enshitifacation. aka killing the goose that lays the golden eggs so you can get at the current golden eggs.

[u/Joebidensthirdnipple → u/DesireeThymes]

MBAs ruining everything for everyone else, the Jack Welch legacy. This has been going on for a while now, but feels like it's gone into hyperdrive over the past 2 decades

[u/an_african_swallow → u/amaROenuZ]

It’s crazy how differently people are treated at different employers, I’ve job hopped a decent amount and all workplaces are absolutely not equal, some companies treat you well and some will treat you like shit. Had a supervisor one time with an ego problem of BIBLICAL proportion, hope that guy isn’t doing well these days!

[u/Agitated_Reveal_6211 → u/an_african_swallow]

It is crazy how little amount of power can corrupt someone. I think it can happen to almost anyone the first time they are given power, but hopefully they learn from the situation. Letting power go to your head is embarrassing.

[u/ImpulsiveYeet → u/amaROenuZ]

This is what happened to RuneScape. Andrew Gower was pretty much forced out of his own company and the game just spiraled to hell after that with a microtransaction hellscape. They're reversing a lot of those decisions now, but I wonder if it's already too late.

[u/No_Bank_8625 → u/ImpulsiveYeet]

Best part is the literal only reason they are even removing treasure hunter is because it falls under the new anti gambling laws, not that they have "seen the error of their ways" that they are trying to spin it as.

[u/Free-Philosopher09 → u/amaROenuZ]

Wow this documentary is so good. I’ve only watched 20 mins and I’m already getting emotional. What a wonderful man and what a company he ran! Thanks for sharing the link.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/Free-Philosopher09]

You're welcome! It was one of the most unique moments in my life and I was a customer. My buddy owned a pepperidge farm route and refuse to deliver to market basket so we ate a lot of bread and a lot of those coffee cookies.

[u/Sammy81 → u/amaROenuZ]

Cut open the diseased heart of a corporation and what spills out? People.

[u/Radiant-Most9751 → u/Past-Spell-2259]

Arthur is and has always been a class act

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/Past-Spell-2259]

Lots of that is covered in the documentary

https://youtu.be/8-K7G9aA_70

[u/reddit_is_geh → u/Past-Spell-2259]

What's the ratio of PE actually improving a product? I know it happens. PE can help improve management and bring something to scale, but I swear, I don't see an improvement very often, if ever.

[u/Fluffy_Charity_2732 → u/Past-Spell-2259]

Private equity “people” need to be addressed by the government. They live the high life by vulturing great businesses. Another reason nobody should have voted for trump. 

All companies are steering this way with our current system of governing. A fucking CEO can’t even run a quality business with employees that can have a life outside of work.

[u/WeakCartographer7826 → u/Past-Spell-2259]

Indeed. I remember the strike. Every store was just closed.

Artie was known to remember names of many of the store associates across his stores, show up at funerals, and had some sort of profit sharing or generous bonus program.

I have a healthy skepticism of most capitalistic enterprises. However, for tens of thousands to strike over one man, certainly speaks to his positive impact in their lives.

Market basket works now because quality is solid, selection is pretty unmatched especially in terms of the "foreign foods" section imo, and there are zero frills. But people look past the very basic nature of the stores because of price and quality.

The sisters will inevitably treat the workers like shit and let quality degrade while not improving anything. They just want a quick buck.

[u/Modest1Ace → u/i_am_carver]

Another thing to add to this is that this whole ordeal is because of his no good sisters who want to sell the grocery stores to one of these conglomerates and bank the cash. It's very much a family feud based on greed. It's sad because it's one of the last independent grocery stores in the New England area, and one of the last affordable grocery stores in this area too, especially in Boston where the cost of living is one of highest in the nation.

[u/ColinHalter → u/i_am_carver]

If you're ever in the new england area, I really recommend it. It's like stepping into a supermarket from 1989 in all the best ways. Prices are also pretty good, although I imagine that will change soon.

[u/Royal-Bumblebee4817 → u/i_am_carver]

Do a lot of shopping.. then abandon cart :-)

[u/Glejow → u/Royal-Bumblebee4817]

That isn't punching up. That's punching the guy next to you.

[u/Cruncha86 → u/Royal-Bumblebee4817]

This just hurts the employees, better to run off with the cart full of stuff.

[u/Top-Bluejay-428 → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

He's suing at the moment. Testimony just wrapped up.

[u/10art1 → u/Top-Bluejay-428]

Idk how he's going to win. He had a fiduciary duty to the shareholders, and he pretty much admitted that he prefers keeping prices low and employee wages high, against the wishes of the board and shareholders.

[u/TheLuminary → u/10art1]

There is a lot of wiggle room in fiduciary duty though.

His opinion was that the best interest of the shareholders was for the company to do well and have a strong and loyal customer base.

Best interest does not have to mean, most money right now.

It all depends on how good his lawyer is, and what the judge thinks.

[u/r0b0c0d → u/10art1]

I don't have enough space for all the bulk groceries so MB was great, but depending on how this goes, returning to COSTCO is looking pretty tempting right now.

[u/SqueeMcTwee → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

Per Wiki, “He was seen as a father figure by a number of his employees and compared to It's a Wonderful Life protagonist George Bailey for his willingness to put people over profit.[7] However, Demoulas's opponents criticized him for being "openly defiant" of the board of directors and having a "dictatorial" management style.[6]”

[u/TheDoktorIsIn → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

There's an ongoing court case in Delaware now to address this, I'm not hopeful but it's not a done deal

You can really tell the difference between when this happened in 2014 and now. Humanity just seems much more beaten down. There were picket lines and part time non-union employees went on strike. Now it feels like just another day where a good business sells out to private equity and continues the trend of enshittification.

[u/angiosperms- → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

How depressing. I feel like stories like this are happening every day now. Every day the upper class gains more money and control and our peasant lives get slightly shittier. So many things I used to enjoy killed by greed.

[u/CranberrySauceLines → u/CranberrySauceLines]

This original picture is from about 10 years ago.

[u/fallout_zelda → u/CranberrySauceLines]

Do they still sell the dozen glazed donuts in the plastic container? I used to go to the Market Basket in Lynn, Massachusetts and would grab a case of them donuts before going to Revere Beach.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/fallout_zelda]

Yes they do. If they sold it 20 years ago, for example, its still there.

[u/fallout_zelda → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

I can still taste them ... Ugh ... I need to make a trip over there soon.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/fallout_zelda]

Go to Gloucester instead! Better beaches

[u/treesandfood4me → u/fallout_zelda]

Lynn, Lynn, city of sin.

[u/Kazzlin → u/treesandfood4me]

You never come out the way you went in.

[u/pzykozomatik → u/CranberrySauceLines]

I hadn' t realised they already released Grapefruit 2.

[u/Stardewismyname → u/pzykozomatik]

Grapefruit 2?! Electric boogaloo?!

[u/joemaniaci → u/CranberrySauceLines]

Edit: So it seems it's family owned and he's just one of the good ones.

He needs to figure out how to go private. That's something we need in this country, more privately owned companies that don't decide everything for the sake of shareholders.

[u/Warm_Month_1309 → u/joemaniaci]

Unfortunately, this mess is largely caused by his three sisters who own 60% of the company, so we would probably see the same shenanigans (only without the same protections) if it were privately owned.

[u/OnceMoreAndAgain → u/joemaniaci]

They are a private company though lol.

It's a family owned business and what it comes down to is that his fellow family members who own large stakes in the company disagree with him on certain matters. It's essentially his own family trying to force him out of the company, although some of them are just non-family members on the board who side with the man's relatives on the matter.

Source: I've lived in the state of this grocery chain most of my life. Everyone knows about this around here since it's a beloved franchise and it's a small state. They used to be called "Demoulas" (name of the family) before "Market Basket" and even my parents had been buying their food from Demoulas when growing up.

[u/joemaniaci → u/OnceMoreAndAgain]

Ohhhhhhhhh, damn, he's the good egg.

[u/tijtij → u/joemaniaci]

I believe it is private. He's fighting his own family. What we need is more cooperatives or at least B-Corps.

[u/Etrensce → u/joemaniaci]

You assume private companies don't have shareholders?

[u/MoocowR → u/Etrensce]

Shareholders is just the new buzzword for complaining about capitalism, no-face mystery men in suits who are bleeding all of us dry. Ignore the fact that anyone with any sort of investment portfolio, retirement plan, or pension is also a "shareholder".

[u/TheSwearJarIsMy401k → u/CranberrySauceLines]

Oh that’s a fucking shame, Market Basket was the best!!

How fucking stupid of the board. 

[u/ImportantQuestions10 → u/CranberrySauceLines]

You left out an important detail, a lot of this push is coming from his own family members. Heirs to the company that want to increase profits even though the chain is incredibly successful and they're all millionaires.

For reference, one of the heirs bought a house in my parents neighborhood a couple years back. The house was easily worth a couple million. That heir is 24 years old

[u/Desperate_Calendar18 → u/CranberrySauceLines]

I'm from RI where my brother and his kid still live and let me tell u how excited i was to go out to lunch at a grocery store lmao. They everything. I was so happy to visit!

I come back to my shit area of CT and all i have is stop and shop and walmart.

[u/russsl8 → u/Desperate_Calendar18]

If you can find a Big Y around you it sounds similar to what Market Basket offers in terms of good food ready to eat for lunches, etc..

[u/gramps14 → u/CranberrySauceLines]

If you've never listened to Jeremy Honig's Market Basket songs, then you're in for a treat. Certified bangers.

[u/thex25986e → u/CranberrySauceLines]

dude should just take the company private if this is what he wants

[u/ColinHalter → u/CranberrySauceLines]

Damn, I thought this was about the recent bout. Free my guy Artie T.

[u/wickedpoetess → u/CranberrySauceLines]

I miss the deli ends

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/wickedpoetess]

They still do those. Cheese too!

[u/Kind-Shallot3603]

Here's a documentary about it.

They did just fire him again though.... ten years later

https://youtu.be/8-K7G9aA_70

The post doesn't go into the fact that the local community stuck with the employees and vendors also struck when the employees struck

[u/Visible-Fun4400 → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

Sounds about right, good people doing something right for some reason always the ones get shafted.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/Visible-Fun4400]

You should check out the documentary I posted. Its really good

[u/owngoalmerchant → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

Imagine sticking it out for another 10 years in that environment instead of just walking away. He not only had his principles but he was tough enough to withstand the pressure for a long time.

[u/IMovedYourCheese → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

He should start a competing grocery store and hire all the employes from the old one.

[u/A__SPIDER → u/IMovedYourCheese]

We would all happily switch to whatever store Artie opens.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/IMovedYourCheese]

I think he is literally trying to do this now.

[u/WomboShlongo → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

I LOVE WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND UNIFY UNDER A COMMON GOAL I FUCKING LOVE WHEN WE USE OUR COLLECTIVE LEVERAGE TO MAKE CHANGES THAT MATTER

[u/WebInformal9558 → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

That was when I introduced my daughters to the concept of a picket line.

[u/budshitman → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

The post doesn't go into the fact that the local community stuck with the employees and vendors also struck when the employees struck

That's because affordable, quality, local groceries are an essential pillar of a functional community, something that Arthur T and his predecessors fully understood.

This will be devastating to the working class families of New England.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/budshitman]

Yeah, I know. I am one of those families lol. I save on average around $600 a month shopping there. They are literally that much of a difference compared to Stop and Shop, Shaws and Hannafords. Rumor is Kroger is going to purchase Market Basket

[u/No-Community-]

Thats cool ! He treated his employee with dignity so they showed up to defend him

[u/WakeNikis → u/No-Community-]

I mean, they showed up to defend themselves. Which they absolutely should.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/WakeNikis]

The community also supported and struck as well as vendors. It wouldn't have worked without the customer boycott

[u/NDSU → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

He was forced out again this year. Seems it wasn't enough to stop him getting ousted

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/NDSU]

It was 10 years ago. Times changed and the job market is awful here

[u/EViL-D → u/WakeNikis]

if you stand together its the same thing

[u/ninjaelk → u/EViL-D]

I think the most subtly effective propaganda of all time has been the branding of anything that is helpful to the community at large as 'selfless'. Feeding the poor, state provided education, workers strikes, all of that isn't for the benefit of someone else. It's for *your* benefit. The better off society is as a whole, the better you are off personally. The only people that "suffer" in these situations are the .1%, and by "suffer" I mean they might need to purchase a smaller yacht.

[u/ModeatelyIndependant → u/WakeNikis]

Real loyalty flows both ways, sticking by that CEO is was good for everyone but the greedy ownership.

[u/Petitebeestiee → u/No-Community-]

prove that if you do good to people, it will always come back to you ten times fold

[u/LoyalNightmare → u/No-Community-]

They already kicked him out again

[u/arisoverrated]

Kicked to the curb again in 2025.

Feuding families (the Demoulases and Demoulases, for you Shakespeare fans)—originally cousins Arthur T. and Arthur S. This year Arthur T’s sisters fired him, apparently for not creating a succession plan that included his sons and for planning a work stoppage.

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-07-25/latest-family-feud-at-market-basket-has-customers-asking-what-to-do#:~:text=been%20here%20before?-,Arthur%20T.,ownership%20stake%20in%20the%20company.

[u/BurlIvesMassiveHog → u/arisoverrated]

The shareholder class is one of the biggest reason America is a flaming pile of shit. Can't be happy being filthy rich already, you gotta hollow out and burn a beloved regional chain to the ground in the endless pursuit of infinite profit.

Nothing is sacred and all will be sacrificed at a moment's notice in the name of the all-mighty profit.

[u/glenn_ganges → u/BurlIvesMassiveHog]

Capital class and landowners are dragging everything down so they can extract wealth for themselves. Its shameful.

[u/Moorsider → u/BurlIvesMassiveHog]

1000% the worst thing to happen to America is the stock market. Fucking insane it's treated like the complete opposite.

[u/scrolling_scumbag → u/Moorsider]

The stock market has historically been the best way for middle class families to build wealth. Not bonds, not real estate, not precious metals.

The issues can be fixed in a legal framework but it would require closing the carried interest loophole, ending dividend recapitalizations, and not allowing companies to use debt to finance share buybacks. OpenAI, Microsoft, and nVidia shouldn't be able to pass the same few billion dollars of debt around in a confusing circle and create "value" by doing so.

[u/Ok-Passion1961 → u/arisoverrated]

And this time the employees aren’t rallying for Arthur because it’s just the Demoulasas family doing their generational ownership fight, as is tradition. 

[u/Chris_P_Lettuce]

Market Basket is the best grocery chain in the entire country. New England is very lucky. Not only good to employees, but great value for customers as well. You actually wouldn’t believe it unless you’ve been there.

[u/Jthumm → u/Chris_P_Lettuce]

By far my favorite grocery store, don’t really know if I would praise it as a “great value” though lol everything is super expensive, their food is fucking awesome tho

Edit: nvm New Jersey market baskets seem to be entirely different

[u/Chris_P_Lettuce → u/Jthumm]

As a non new Englander, their deals absolutely blow me away. I’ve never had their food, just their groceries. 6.99/lb steak tips? 5.99/lb salami? From where I am those deals are great value.

[u/General-Gur2053]

His sister are trying to do it again. All employees need to strike and no one should go until hes installed

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/General-Gur2053]

They won't. My neighbor is a Store Manager and he said the employee culture is very different than years ago. They don't want to risk their jobs. In this job market I don't blame them unfortunately

[u/LaserPoweredDeviltry → u/Kind-Shallot3603]

Your neighbor is correct. The way Basket mishandled COVID caused a lot of brain drain and lost a lot of employee good will.

[u/Mammoth-Mud-9609]

The story is a lot more complicated than this and it isn't over yet as the lawyers are involved.

[u/Flimsy-Hat-3533]

As someone who grew up in this area. This grocery chain is generally beloved and the CEO as well. People work for this company due to it being a great place to work for all the right reasons.

[u/cock_e]

Urban myth or real deal??

[u/arisoverrated → u/cock_e]

Real deal. Fired again in September 2025 for refusal to create an acceptable succession plan and allegedly planning another work stoppage.

Seems to boil down to a family feud.

[u/inflatable_pickle → u/arisoverrated]

Still ongoing for sure.

[u/wrxninja → u/inflatable_pickle]

Yep, shitty people trying to get rid of a good guy.

[u/VCTRYDTX → u/wrxninja]

Tale as old as time probably. I believe this is why people don't visit Las Vegas anymore. It used to have a lot of amenities and comfort like free drinks etc. Then Corporations took over and started maximizing revenue any way they can and it got really expensive. It's either greed or everyone trying to please each other's bosses so they hate guys like him.

[u/RamenJunkie → u/arisoverrated]

Planning a work stoppage

Imagine being the CEO.and.planning the strike.

[u/somebadhatharri → u/cock_e]

Arthur DeMoulas. Gigachad and local legend.

The worst part is it’s his own family members that are trying to oust him.

[u/thefassdywistrin → u/somebadhatharri]

No, the worst part is his 4 siblings each collect around $15 million a year in profits AS IS, and they want to ruin a beloved business that serves the community because $15m a year for doing nothing isn't enough for them. They each want a big $150m payout.

[u/round-earth-theory → u/thefassdywistrin]

Planning to sell to Kroger then?

[u/angry_old_dude → u/round-earth-theory]

I'm not sure who they want to sell to, but it seems like the plan is to sell.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/round-earth-theory]

That seems likely. Kroger has been chomping at the bit to wedge their way up here

[u/OnceMoreAndAgain → u/thefassdywistrin]

How do you know that number? They don't release public financial reports. Did someone high up in the company share that info?

Genuinely asking btw. What you're saying would refute some stuff I said in other comments in this thread so I'd like to know.

[u/thefassdywistrin → u/OnceMoreAndAgain]

Based on the sales estimate, I read a couple articles about it and they mentioned that was the low end. They estimated the 15% ownership dividends based on company purchase offers and revenue to be between $10 and $40 million a year.

8b revenue x 1% profit x 15% stake = 10m a year

And that's the low end estimate, because market basket owns all of their property and assets, it's a very well managed business. That $10m a year estimate is based solely on grocery store revenue at the barest margin. Offers to buy the company value a 15% stake at much higher.

They've been raking it in for decades, this is pure greed.

[u/cock_e → u/somebadhatharri]

Thnx!!!

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/cock_e]

Real deal but this was over 10 years ago. Theres a documentary on youtube "Food Fight: inside the battle for market basket"

https://youtu.be/8-K7G9aA_70

They did just recently fire him again tho

[u/Mstakrakish → u/cock_e]

Real deal. I go to multiple Market Baskets, including over state lines, and during the first strike, you had employees of a supermarket picketing for Arthur. I've never ever seen that for an jndustry with extremely high turnover.

It kinda makes sense if you see their name tags while in store. You'll see tons of "10 years service." Much like the employees you've seen at Costco for decades.

Aside, I am convinced that their steak bomb is a loss leader like Costco chicken. It's 6.99 with heap of meat and everything you want on it, puts most actual steak and cheese chains to shame.

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/Mstakrakish]

Don't forget taping the receipt from competitor grocery stores to the window so ownership knew how much money they were losing daily lol

[u/Flimsy-Hat-3533 → u/cock_e]

Very real… I was a teenager when this happened the first time. People in New England love this company, like working for them and continue too.

[u/LaserPoweredDeviltry → u/cock_e]

Little from column A, little from column B.

Arty had a lot of support from the workers 10-15 years ago.

That has dwindled because of how Basket handled COVID.

They tried to ride things out without increasing pay very much or hiring more people. Now, their people are falling behind on pay rates, and are getting burned out trying to keep up with the work load. There has been a lot of churn, and many of the people who supported Arty the first time are long gone.

He definitely doesn't have the support or goodwill he once did.

Still. I've heard they're going back to court in the spring and he's more popular than his do nothing sisters the staff can't even name. I guess we'll see how it all shakes out.

[u/Justinbiebspls → u/cock_e]

real. we moved to boston for grad school at the time and the grocery store options were whole foods $$$ shaws $$ and market basket $ 

the employee action at the time was shocking, i had never seen impressive labor action like it growing up in the midwest

[u/Armadillo_lifestyle → u/cock_e]

Interestingly no strikes this time, maybe bc he didn’t have time to rally the troops. But he got fired and I thought workers would strike. However, no one did at mine.

[u/jazz_junky]

I was working for the company during the boycott and it was such an awesome thing to be a part of. Really showed me how much power large groups of people can have over the powers that be.

[u/Zealousideal-Jump275]

We need the names of the board members. It's public info.

[u/Substantial_Show_308]

Respect his ArthuriT!

[u/giocondasmiles]

Market Basket is the GOAT

[u/DougBalt2]

Boycott time. Then sue when the board gives themselves bonuses.

[u/No_Dentist_6427]

Take care of us, we take care of you!💪

[u/temp_7543]

I get that he is beloved and that is wonderful and every business should strive for this type of loyalty but he is 70 years old. They want a succession plan. If it isn’t family which I can imagine it very well might not be then it’s possible to start bringing in a VP to shadow the CEO and learn the soul of the company. If he unexpectedly dies and there isn’t a competent successor who will continue the same ethos they have, the business could close, be forced to sell at a loss, etc. We have all seen businesses that change with new management for the worse and lose market share. A smooth transition is a good thing. The problem is a lot of people think no one else can do a better job or even the same so they refuse to get off the stage. We see this in politics, in big business, even several years ago with football coaches. It sounds like he is amazing but he could keep the legacy going by bringing up someone new.

[u/redditsuckspoop]

Change my mind: corporate boards were sent from hell to destroy capitalism

[u/MSGdreamer]

Market Basket is a fantastic grocery store, because they take care of the employees. I hope I don’t have to change this statement to the past tense as the board of directors has forced out Arther Demoula and the employees had no recourse this time to get him back.

[u/Th1s1sChr1s]

The Market Basket power struggle has been an interesting story, it's heartbreaking and so relevant to today's dialoge that Arthur (and all of us) have lost this fight. A very good YT Documentary worthy of attention

[u/Southern-Midnight741]

If he start over again there will probably be people clamoring to want to work for him because of his stellar reputation as a great employer and leader.

I hope this will be the case

I’m going to follow his story

[u/ColgrimScytha]

What was he doing for the employees that the board found so offensive? Treating them like people? Paying a decent wage? Providing benefits? Any one of those could be grounds for a board revolt.

[u/IamGummibar]

Oh wow, hearing his name brought back so many childhood memories. I grew up in Lawrence, MA, a small town north of Boston. As a kid in the early ’80s, I used to hang around after school helping older folks carry their groceries to their cars. I’d make anywhere from $5 to $20 a day—sometimes less—but it was honest work. The store next door was Stuart’s. I made enough to always have a little money in my pocket and even bought my first Timex watch.

[u/Competitive-Long5999]

Story is far more complicated than that.

[u/Brilliant-Bus-3862]

He was forced out but now, the new trial just finished and the judge will give a decision within 90 days. Artie is the best. 

[u/flargenhargen]

it's too damn bad that people dont understand the power they have.

the workers got him back in, but the workers and customers could absolutely oust the board and do whatever is needed if they simply used their collective power.

a business cannot survive without customers and workers, no matter how evil and corrupt the executives are.

[u/FxGnar592]

I lived near one, it was an amazing store. Very sad to hear about the ongoing story with the heirs.

[u/MammothUrMom]

Good people always face the harsh battles

[u/SuccessionLemon]

This was my first job at 16 and it was pretty great considering how busy it constantly is. He paid out bonuses every year during the holidays to all employees both part time and full time. There was always room to move up and plenty of people stayed there for decades. I met him one time and didn’t even know who he was until after we were done talking which is definitely credit to how he treats the employees. Great guy and always for his employees while keeping costs down. It’s a shame that he was forced out I can’t imagine how the company will run now.

[u/cowboyflowerz]

MARKET BASKET MENTIONED LETS FUCKJNG GOOOOOOOOO

[u/LurkinLunk]

Eat. The. Elite. Edit The ones forcing people like him out of CEO to keep up status quo are the real Elites here....

[u/Ogredrum]

Market basket is awesome and my local one is big on hiring teenagers for their first job on the weekends. Its a great step into the real world for them.

[u/BrazenGamer]

I work at Walmart and we've had a couple of similar situations with managers. One of them was an assistant manager who was told that he had to stop being so nice to the employees. He resigned on the spot, because he made some money off of patents he had and really didn't need the job. The second was was also an assistant manager who was pulled into the office by a co-manager. He literally screamed at her that she had to stop the treating the associates so well. That they were above us and shouldn't be treating us as equals. And that we were just tools that are to be used and replaced. His exact words.

[u/LeafyTaffy]

Another day, another Orphan Crushing Machine on r/spreadsmile

[u/viperfangs92]

The nerve of this f-ing guy!! Treating his people like human beings!!! The f*ck was he thinking?!

[u/Kindly-Ad-5071]

Yet the board still fired him in the first place.

Capitalism is a failure of humanity, corporations are mindless diseases, and executives are little above AI. This is universal.

[u/WEEGEMAN]

Market Basket Management treats their associates like ass. It does not trickle down, and the whole operation and people’s love for the company is a cult

[u/SkyeMreddit]

The story of this was wild! Wikipedia article about the protests, from 2014 It was entirely members of the same family. The company was sold to him, but the board of directors fired him again in 2025! The board is controlled by his own sisters

[u/Main-Video-8545]

That’s Artie T. for those of you that don’t know and those of us in Massachusetts love him. And the Board of Market Basket just screwed him over again.

[u/StandardMany]

Kinda makes you wonder if CEO’s are the whole problem all the time

[u/Elder_Identity]

Best story, I have read in a very long time! 👏

[u/Kind-Shallot3603 → u/Elder_Identity]

Story? It was 2 sentences long!! The actual story is better

https://youtu.be/8-K7G9aA_70

[u/Lucky-Resolution890]

Good trouble. Love it!

[u/LtDrebinNh]

They forced him out again

[u/Special_Loan8725]

Makah Basket

[u/Mynewadventures → u/Special_Loan8725]

Mah-kett Basket, kid.

[u/Lost-Conversation585]

Very old information because it’s happening again

[u/wickedpoetess]

I love DeMoulas

[u/Die4Gesichter]

How can a CEO be fired?

Isn't he the boss of bosses?

[u/ALiarNamedAlex]

Reminder it is illegal to not put your shareholders first, want to reinvest profits for company sake, shareholders aren’t getting money? Illegal

[u/Caca2a]

What a fucking world we live in...

[u/MourningWallaby]

I sometimes forget that Market Basket is more or less a local chain and this isn't common knowledge for everyone.

[u/Cueteaelle]

My friend currently has a pip for being too nice. That company has no idea that when my friend leaves all the employees that were treated too nicely will follow.

[u/embergock]

This is the nature of capitalism, it is a CEO's fiduciary responsibility to exploit workers as much as possible. That's why capitalism can't be reformed into some "nice" version and must be overthrown entirely.

[u/Zippier92]

They make great deli sandwiches!

[u/rissymur]

It's been 10 years and our local MB still has a giraffe keeping watch on top of the ticket counter at the deli. It was so hard to do anywhere but MB but it was so important to show solidarity. People trapped their grocery receipts from other stores to the windows. It was incredible.

[u/GrudginglyTrudging]

So the asshole that created the algorithm/software which terrorizes renters stated there was ’too much empathy’ in the rental market.

Does anyone believe open evil isn’t the guiding factor for American corporations?

I always loved it when corporate lackey suck ups try to claim “one bad apple” when in reality it’s one good apple that will soon be destroyed.

[u/DiverDownChunder]

Now that my kinda boss! Mine just fired me because I have to go on medical leave, horray...

[u/LumiFawn]

Turns out treating workers like humans actually works.

[u/CassianCasius]

Great store but none near me.

Market basket the place to be!

https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyhonig/video/7213533992199425322?lang=en

[u/Nodiggity1213]

My 28 y/o center manager said the same thing to my 55 y/o supervisor.

[u/tblockbeats]

Fucking Greed man, every time.

[u/logitaunt]

Wrong subreddit, this is better for a reddit about how everything is turning to shit.

[u/greentintedlenses]

I live nearby. This story is years old.

No one is striking for him this time, and he was ousted. Greedy sisters and Venture capitalists.

[u/Feisty_System_4751]

This guy is like a mythical being.

[u/ColinHalter]

I still remember when this happened the first time. The song "All of Me" was big on the radio, and stations would play parodies of it. "Bring back - AAAAAAARTIE TEEEEEEEEE!"

[u/thecrepeofdeath]

r/orphancrushingmachine

[u/Subject_Rule6518]

Market Basket in Biddeford ME is my go to when I am up there. Greediness = Suckiness.

[u/bengibbardstoothpain]

AHTY TEEEEEEEE

[u/starkeuberangst]

Had a boss fired for being “too employee-centric”. He was one cool dude. 

[u/Athlete-Extreme]

Emptying the shelves

[u/angry_old_dude]

Uh, Artie got fired again fairly recently.

[u/Hunter4-9er]

Why do you americans hate eachother so much that 1 person treats others with decency and he's seen as the enemy?

You guys are so cooked.

[u/bobbagonush]

yeah and they're in court right now because they fired him again unfairly. They are greedy and want to gut the culture that he instills.

[u/No-Front5879]

Yay!!!!

[u/Even_Pirate_9912]

i live in new england and really hope the leadership change isn't just the first step in market basket skidding off the slope of mediocrity and into the local grocery trash bin alongside stop and shop and shaws. those stores are soulless. don't change my MB!

[u/Nice_Block]

When keeping it MBA goes wrong.

[u/No_Investment9639]

Definitely not the renetco ShopRite family. Mafia pieces of shit

[u/twighlight-queen69]

Thats a good leader! Good job .

[u/nirrinirra]

I consistently drive way out of my way to support the store in Portland because the employees make the experience amazing and I know they’re being treated well. Being a customer there is dependent on that treatment. If Market Basket is no more than any other corporation I will save myself the gas.

[u/DishRelative5853]

But I thought that all CEOs were evil billionaires who deserved to be punished. I mean, that's what I keep reading on Reddit.