Hazi Hinam Feud Deepens as Kuperli Strips Shalom-Bug of Commercial Powers

The partnership dispute within the major Israeli retail chain Hazi Hinam is escalating significantly as Moti Kuperli continues to strip Orit Shalom-Bug of her remaining management powers. According to industry sources, Kuperli recently recruited Nissim Frayntei to a senior commercial role without Shalom-Bug's knowledge, while also transferring marketing responsibilities to her former subordinates. This internal power struggle follows Shalom-Bug's contentious ousting from her position as co-CEO earlier this year, leaving her current role as co-owner and executive largely sidelined.

Escalating Tensions and Legal Battles

The friction between the founding families intensified after Shalom-Bug and her mother—who together hold a 33% stake in the company—filed a sweeping lawsuit against the Kuperli family, which controls the remaining 66%. The legal action accuses the majority stakeholders of minority oppression and demands the formal separation of the retail operations from the families' joint real estate holdings. Court filings claim that the real estate arm accumulated hundreds of millions of shkels in unpaid debts to the retail company over the years.

"This is a high-stakes struggle involving massive sums of money, and it is far from over," a senior industry source noted, suggesting that the measures taken against Shalom-Bug are calculated to pressure her into resigning voluntarily.

Corporate Reorganization and Departures

Amid the ongoing legal proceedings, Doron Becker, who previously served as VP of Trade and Marketing under Shalom-Bug, resigned last month to take up a deputy CEO position at Be Pharm. Meanwhile, Frayntei is slated to officially assume his new commercial duties in January after departing from his previous role at Good Pharm. Legal experts and market analysts anticipate that the bitter boardroom battle will ultimately be decided in court, as neither side shows any willingness to compromise.