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Homegrown Roche Bros. chain to be sold to Connecticut grocery wholesaler, which plans no changes
By adamg on Thu, 10/31/2024 - 1:52pm
West Roxbury Roche Bros. this afternoon.
Members of the family that owns Roche Bros., which grew from a Roslindale Square meat market in 1952 into today's Roche Bros. and Sudbury Farms chains, are selling controlling interest in the company to a Connecticut food-delivery concern that has long been the chains' principal supplier of food and other products.
Family members who are retiring from the grocery business are selling 51% of RBSBW, Inc., the Mansfield company that owns the supermarkets, to Michael Bozzuto, owner of Bozzuto's in Cheshire, CT, Roche Bros. attorney Andrew Upton told the Boston Licensing Board yesterday at a hearing to request approval of a change in corporate ownership at the West Roxbury and Downtown Crossing Roche Bros. stores.
Aside from the composition of the company's ownership, "there are no changes to any aspect of operation, hours, management, floor plans," Upton said. "No aspect of any location here or anywhere in Massachusetts is changing."
Upton added the change in ownership has already been approved by the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, which has ultimate control over liquor licensing in the state - both stores have liquor licenses.
The board approved the changes unanimously today. The Westwood select board holds a similar hearing on the status of the Roche Bros. store there on Nov. 18.
Bozzuto's, which services supermarkets across New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, has been supplying Roche Bros. staples since earlier in the century, according to a 2007 article in Supermarket News:
[Rick] Roche noted that Bozzuto's is innovative. “They're always asking our opinion on how they can do it better, which is a great thing to see,” he said.
Michael Bozzuto, chairman, president and CEO, said the relationship with Roche goes both ways. “They exude a caring philosophy to their communities, their employees and their supplier relationships. That is a common characteristic you see with all our customers. We are in it together, and work together to get to the common goal.”
Watch the hearing:
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Comments
Roche Bros.
No changes are planned, mmmmm.
I think I have heard that said before!
How much room do their prices
How much room do their prices have to go higher, even if they want to?
At least at West Roxbury, most items at cheaper at the Star 5 minutes down the road and many are even cheaper at the Dedham Whole Foods, particularly produce.
Roche doesn’t feel that far away from the Stop and Shop in terms of higher than competitors pricing, though admittedly Roche is way cleaner and less depressingly lit and setup than Stop and Shop.
Lower Prices
Who knows, it might lower the prices at Roche Bros. "Buying power" has a huge effect on how grocery prices are set. Now Roche is apart of a bigger chain of grocery stores, thus having greater buying power. The more you buy, the more the vendor will offer discounts.
Maybe some of the reason why Roche was a bit pricier than other stores is because of buying power. *shrug*
But I also concur that Roche is a different shopping experience than other stores. I will often pick up things at the DTX store. Yes its pricey AF, but the store is immaculate and has a diverse selection considering the size/shape of that store. Plus the employees are always friendly. Roche has to charge a little bit more for that experience. And I'm willing to pay for that. I wouldn't do all my shopping there, but picking up a few things for dinner, it's OK.
72 years is a good run
Wish it could be longer.
I have lived and/or worked near a Roche's for a good part of my adult life, and though their prices are not at MB level, the stores are always spotless and the employees are excellent. Always a pleasant supermarket experience.
Fun fact: Pat Roche moved to our street in Marshfield in the 60s. He was a legend and my dad truly admired him. He was a generous man whose principles were reflected in his stores.
Yeah it was a great place to work
All of my brothers and I worked there starting freshman year of high school and stayed well into college and beyond, sometimes working part-time as we slowly pealed off into our professional careers. Really helped set us up to be responsible and accountable.
They always set high expectations on customer service, countless times you'd have front end managers reminding the baggers to push the cart out to the customers car and load things for them, rain, snow or shine! I know in our neighborhood it was really appreciated by the older customers and parents shopping with their kids.
And I remember when Bud or Ed Roche would come in, it was like the Pope was visiting!
End of an era
Growing up in Needham, Roche Bros was a staple - always the best grocery store in town when I was a kid in the 1970s. Haven't been in the Needham store in a while, but loved that the aisles were named after the streets in town instead of numbers, so if you asked where something was located you might get "Highland Ave" as an answer.
Same in West Roxbury
And when the Star Market on Spring Street got remodeled a few years ago, they also named the aisles after local streets.