No, Market Basket is not currently owned by Kroger. While there was a significant historical connection, the grocery chain known as Market Basket is not presently part of The Kroger Co.
A Look Back: Kroger's Past Acquisition of a Market Basket Chain
The confusion often arises because Kroger did, at one point, own a specific grocery chain called Market Basket. This was the Market Basket (California) chain.
Kroger acquired this chain in 1963. At the time of the purchase, the California Market Basket had annual sales of $121 million (approximately $923 million in 2023, adjusted for inflation). This acquisition marked a period when the California Market Basket chain became a Kroger-associated entity.
Key Facts about the California Market Basket:
- Period of Association: It was associated with Kroger from 1930 to 1982.
- Early Growth: By 1934, the chain had established 14 stores primarily in the Pasadena area.
- Expansion: By 1959, its footprint had grown to 42 locations, extending as far as Santa Ana and San Bernardino in Southern California.
- Acquisition: Kroger officially bought the chain in 1963.
This historical ownership, however, concluded by 1982, meaning Kroger no longer controls any entity operating under the Market Basket name today.
Current Market Basket Landscape
Today, the most prominent grocery chain operating under the name "Market Basket" is DeMoulas Market Basket, primarily located in New England. This chain is privately held and operated by the DeMoulas family, with no current ties to Kroger.
In summary, while Kroger once owned a distinct Market Basket chain in California, that ownership ended decades ago, and there is no present relationship between Kroger and any Market Basket supermarket chain operating today.
