The board of directors at grocery chain Market Basket is locked in a legal dispute with former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas as both sides prepare for a civil trial in Delaware set for mid-December 2025.
According to court filings and company statements, the board has requested critical documents pertaining to budgeting, capital expenditures and succession planning, but says it has only received a single page from a handwritten notebook – despite Demoulas telling the court he does not use email and instead keeps handwritten notes.
Demoulas was placed on leave in May while an investigation was conducted into allegations that he encouraged senior executives to organize a boycott or walkout. He was dismissed in September after being accused of attempting to orchestrate a work stoppage. He is now countersuing in an effort to regain the job.
Market Basket has a loyal customer base and a history of internal turmoil, including a major walk-out in 2014 by store workers and customers in support of Demoulas after his termination by a cousin and rival, Arthur S. Demoulas.
Though headquartered in Massachusetts, Market Basket also operates multiple locations in Maine, including Biddeford, Westbrook, and Topsham.
The board’s request for the records signals intensifying efforts to determine who led the chain at a pivotal time and whether corporate governance protocols were followed. The dispute is expected to draw heightened scrutiny as the trial approaches, leaving the company in a period of uncertainty as questions of leadership and internal culture remain unresolved.
