Arthur T Demoulas

The war between feuding cousins Arthur T and Arthur S, third generation heirs to the Market Basket supermarket fortune started in 1917 by Greek immigrants, reignited last year when a relative switched shareholder voting allegiances last June, tipping the board's balance of power in favor of Arthur S. Tensions have run high between the two Arthurs since it came to light in the 90's that Arthur T's father Mike T Demoulas secretly sequestrated brother George's 50% of the company from his widow after he died in 1971. After years in court Arthur S won his family's share back in 1995. Twenty one years later, on June 24 2014 the Arthur S controlled board finally wrested control of the company from Arthur T, firing him and a slew of top level managers, with others quitting in protest. CEO and President since 2008, Arthur T had run the company with minimal input from the board, increasing sales by one-third, winning the company an estimated $217 million in earnings on $4 billion in revenue last year. The chain's 25,000 employees rallied around Arthur T, protesting at board meetings. Since winning majority control of the board, Arthur S arranged a $300 million dividend and brought in Wall Street banks to manage the company's profit-sharing fund. Arthur S's next move? It's alleged he'll continue to refinance the debt-free chain, effecting a massive cash payment for nine family shareholders who've had little hand in building the $2.8 billion business.