Market Basket
The Market Basket is a family-owned gourmet grocery and catering company operating two New Jersey retail locations plus a nationwide e-commerce platform, selling scratch-made prepared foods, gift baskets, and meal boxes to individual consumers, corporate clients, and event hosts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersFranklin Lakes, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Market Basket does
The Market Basket, Inc. is a family-owned gourmet grocery and catering company headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, founded in 1960 by Tony Chernalis as a small butcher shop in Wyckoff, NJ. The company operates two physical retail locations in Franklin Lakes (flagship, 813 Franklin Lake Road) and Wyckoff (300 Sicomac Ave), employing over 400 people across stores, commissary kitchens, catering sites, and warehouses. The product portfolio spans traditional in-store departments (Meat, Seafood, Deli, Produce, Bakery, Cheese, Gourmet To Go prepared foods) plus hand-assembled gourmet gift baskets, entrée boxes, BBQ boxes, breakfast/lunch boxes, and cheese & charcuterie kits sold through the BigCommerce-powered e-commerce platform at shop.marketbasket.com with nationwide shipping, delivery, and in-store pickup options.
Underlying operational capabilities include a private delivery truck fleet with daily direct-sourcing runs to Hunts Point Market in New York, in-house scratch production of mozzarella, marinara, baked goods, and confections, a cold-pressed juicing system using 6 tons of hydraulic pressure on certified organic produce, and a mobile deli ordering app on iOS and Android. The company remains under Chernalis family ownership (now third generation, with Mark and Zachary Chernalis active) with no institutional investors or funding rounds on record.
Revenue is generated through three streams: in-store retail grocery sales across the two New Jersey locations; full-service catering and event planning for weddings, corporate events, and private parties (priced per event with custom quotes); and direct-to-consumer e-commerce gift basket and meal box sales. Pricing is pay-as-you-go unit pricing, with gift baskets ranging from approximately $80 to $350 and entrée boxes from $150 to $240. Customer segments are individual retail consumers (primary), corporate accounts for catering and gifting, event hosts planning weddings and private parties, and local community organizations.
Market Basket firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Market Basket
- Legal name
- The Market Basket, Inc.
- Website
- https://marketbasket.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The Market Basket is a family-owned gourmet grocery and catering company operating two New Jersey retail locations plus a nationwide e-commerce platform, selling scratch-made prepared foods, gift baskets, and meal boxes to individual consumers, corporate clients, and event hosts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Market Basket industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gourmet Grocery Retail
- NAICS
- Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty & Gourmet Foods Distribution (CRAOABAF), Specialty Imported Foods Wholesale (AFAIAIAH), General Online Grocery (Full-Basket) (CRAHAIAA)
Keywords
Where Market Basket is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Franklin Lakes
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Market Basket business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Grocery Sales: In-store sales of gourmet groceries, prepared foods, fresh produce, deli items, bakery goods, meat, seafood, and specialty cheese across two New Jersey locations.
- Catering and Event Services: Full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and other occasions with custom menus and event planning services. Revenue generated through per-event catering contracts.
- Gift Basket E-commerce: Online sales of gourmet gift baskets, entrée boxes, and specialty food products through shop.marketbasket.com with shipping, delivery, and store pickup options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level gift boxes starting at $80 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range gourmet gift baskets $99-$225 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entrée Boxes for 2-6+ people |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium gift baskets $250-$350 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | BBQ Boxes with premium proteins |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Market Basket product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Market Basket is a family-owned gourmet grocery and catering company that operates two New Jersey retail stores selling store-made prepared foods, fresh produce, prime meats, seafood, deli items, baked goods, and artisanal cheeses. It complements in-store shopping with an e-commerce gift basket business at shop.marketbasket.com and offers full-service catering and event planning for weddings, corporate functions, and private parties.
Product overview
Market Basket operates as a family-owned gourmet grocery chain with two New Jersey locations (Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff). The company offers a dual-channel experience: traditional in-store grocery shopping across multiple departments (Meat, Seafood, Deli, Produce, Bakery, Cheese, Gourmet To Go) combined with a dedicated online gift basket e-commerce platform. The core products include hand-assembled gourmet gift baskets available in various styles (Gourmet Assortment, Italian Style, Office-Style, Sweet Treat, BBQ, Sympathy), pre-packaged meal boxes (Entrée Boxes, Breakfast Boxes, Lunch Boxes, Baked Goods Boxes), and cheese & charcuterie pairing kits. Additional services include full-service catering, event planning with tent and décor rentals, and a mobile deli ordering app. The company has over 400 employees and has received multiple Best of Bergen awards from local publications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gourmet Gift Baskets Hand-assembled gourmet gift baskets in wooden crates featuring store-made items like marinara sauce, imported olive oil, and gourmet chocolates, available in themes such as Gourmet Assortment, Italian Style, Office-Style, Sweet Treat, BBQ, and Sympathy, with options for special dietary needs and custom gift messaging.
- Entrée Boxes Pre-packaged meal boxes containing freshly prepared salads, soups, entrées, and desserts, sized for groups of 2-3, 4, 5, or 6 people, sold online with delivery and store pickup.
- BBQ Boxes Seasonal BBQ meal kits including burger blends, sausages, marinated chicken, and house-made BBQ sauce packaged in insulated cooler bags; the Premier BBQ Box is offered with optional add-ons.
- Cheese & Charcuterie Pairing Kits Curated cheese and charcuterie selections assembled by in-store cheesemongers, featuring premium cheeses, meats, crackers, and accompaniments in standard and Deluxe tiers.
- Corporate Gifting Customizable gift basket solutions for business occasions, including office snack baskets and custom corporate orders for client and employee gifting programs.
- Breakfast Boxes Pre-packaged breakfast meal boxes featuring assorted bagels, fresh-squeezed orange juice, danish, donuts, fruit salad, and pastries, serving approximately 8-10 people.
- Lunch Boxes Pre-packaged lunch selections featuring a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and store-made deli salads, serving approximately 6-8 people.
- Baked Goods Box Assortment of fresh bakery items packaged for gifting, serving approximately 8-10 people.
- Catering Services
- Event Planning Division
- In-Store Gourmet Grocery Departments
- Gourmet To Go
Quantifiable outcome
- Recognized as one of New Jersey's best gourmet grocery stores for over 60 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Market Basket
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Market Basket technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Market Basket partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Local New Jersey FarmsminorMarket Basket sources local Jersey Fresh produce items through partnerships with local family-run farms when available, supporting the local agricultural community and ensuring fresh seasonal produce.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Market Basket competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wegmans: Family-owned premium grocery chain known for scratch-prepared foods, expansive deli/bakery departments, and event catering — closest operational analog to Market Basket's made-from-scratch premium positioning.
- Di Bruno Bros. Family-owned Philadelphia specialty gourmet market strong in Italian imports, cheese, and charcuterie with multiple retail locations — directly comparable in product mix and Italian-leaning specialty focus.
- Zingerman's: Specialty gourmet food business built on scratch-made quality, mail-order gifts, and multi-location deli/bakery operations in Michigan — closely analogous in category, scratch preparation ethos, and gift/food hybrid model.
- Eataly: Italian-themed gourmet marketplace combining retail groceries, prepared foods, and dining — comparable assortment of imported Italian goods, in-store preparation, and prepared-meal offering.
- Balducci's: Long-established specialty gourmet market with prepared foods, gift baskets, and catering — directly mirrors Market Basket's gourmet/gift/catering combination across multi-channel operations.
- Harry & David: National gourmet gift basket catalog and e-commerce company — direct overlap with Market Basket's online gift basket business, including corporate gifting and curated gourmet assortments.
Broad incumbents
- Whole Foods Market: National premium grocery incumbent offering gourmet, prepared foods, and catering across hundreds of locations — broad overlap with Market Basket's premium assortment and prepared meals offering.
- Trader Joe's: National specialty grocery chain with curated gourmet assortment and private-label specialty foods — same premium-but-narrow product breadth strategy as Market Basket's specialty retail model.
Regional players
- Citarella: NYC premium seafood and gourmet grocer serving a similarly affluent Northeast customer base with scratch-prepared foods and corporate gifting — same premium Tri-State positioning though farther west.
- Stew Leonard's: Family-owned Tri-State supermarket chain known for prepared foods, fresh sourcing, and experiential retail — comparable in family governance, regional premium positioning, and scratch-prepared merchandising.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Market Basket social profiles
Digital presenceMarket Basket financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Market Basket leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Market Basket funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Market Basket M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Market Basket
What does Market Basket do?
Market Basket is a family-owned gourmet grocery and catering company that operates two New Jersey retail stores selling store-made prepared foods, fresh produce, prime meats, seafood, deli items, baked goods, and artisanal cheeses. It complements in-store shopping with an e-commerce gift basket business at shop.marketbasket.com and offers full-service catering and event planning for weddings, corporate functions, and private parties.
Is Market Basket a public or private company?
Market Basket is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Market Basket founded?
Market Basket was founded in 1960. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Market Basket based?
Market Basket is headquartered in Franklin Lakes, United States, in the North America region.
How does Market Basket make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Grocery Sales are the primary driver. The others are catering and Event Services and gift Basket E-commerce.
Who are Market Basket's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wegmans, Di Bruno Bros., Zingerman's, Eataly, Balducci's and Harry & David. Broad incumbents are Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's. Regional players are Citarella and Stew Leonard's.
Does Market Basket have an API?
No public API is recorded for Market Basket.
What industry is Market Basket in?
Market Basket's product category is Gourmet Grocery Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAAAI, Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution, with a secondary code of CRAOABAF, Specialty & Gourmet Foods Distribution. Its NAICS code is 4452 and its SIC code is 5411.