Zohran Mamdani defended his plan for five city-run grocery stores across New York City during an anti-Trump event in the Bronx on Thursday. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
"There's so much partnership that we can still offer those same stores in assisting them on the skyrocketing rents that they are facing, the questions of insurance, so much of that which creates instability in their business model, while also ensuring we're using every tool at our disposal to create a more affordable city for New Yorkers," Mamdani said.
Like many of his progressive policies, Mamdani's plan to open city-run grocery stores if elected mayor of New York City has raised some eyebrows about its feasibility.
But Mamdani explained on Thursday, "It's not in opposition to grocery store owners or bodega owners. This is something that can together be actually used to increase competitiveness, as we've seen public options do so in the past."
Like President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election, Mamdani has made affordability the central theme of his campaign. One way Mamdani is seeking to lower prices for New Yorkers is by opening one city-owned grocery store in each of the five boroughs.
"As Mayor, Zohran will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit. Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers," according to Mamdani's campaign website.
Zohran Mamdani snapped a selfie with a supporter as he arrived at his anti-Trump event on Staten Island on Wednesday. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Economists and Wall Street executives sounded the alarm on Mamdani's plan in interviews with Fox News Digital soon after his Democratic primary victory.
John Catsimatidis, owner of the Gristedes supermarket chain, has largely criticized Mamdani's city-run grocery store idea, arguing it would "hurt New York."
"If the city of New York is going socialist, I will definitely close, or sell, or move or franchise the Gristedes locations," Catsimatidis told Fox Business in an interview in June.
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And Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio – whose family owns and operates Rulli Brothers, a small chain of two grocery stores in the Youngstown, Ohio, area – echoed Catsimatidis' concern in an interview with Fox News Digital last month.
"This will be a bullet into the heart of the U.S. grocery industry, if this caught on," Rulli said.
Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-defends-city-run-grocery-plan-says-store-owners-can-partners