Roche Bros. Cofounder Dies

Daniel F. “Bud” Roche, who co-founded the supermarket chains Roche Bros. and sister company Sudbury Farms, died on Sept. 4. He was 85.
 
Roche and his brother, Pat, who died last year, founded Roche Bros. in 1952. The chain is now headquartered in Wellesley, Mass., and includes 18 supermarkets in Massachusetts.
 
Roche attended the Boston English High School and served as a marine sergeant in China after graduation. When he returned to the U.S., he used G.I. Bill money to attend meat-cutting classes and worked in local supermarkets. At 24, Roche and his 23-year-old brother decided to found a meat market called Roche Bros. The market expanded to groceries in 1957.
 
Roche retired in 1998, passing the business down to his family. He was known as a long-time philanthropist.
 
Last September, Roche Bros. marked its 60th year in business with a 60-day series of promotions and events. At that time, current COO Ed Roche -- one of Pat’s sons, who now operates the company with his brother Rick -- noted, "[Founding brothers] Pat and Bud instilled in us this sense that each and every employee shares the responsibility for our customers. That deep sense of responsibility gives us great pride.”
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