Zohran Mamdani's City-Owned Grocery Plan Faces Scrutiny After Viral Kansas City's Store Video
Mamdani has promoted his plan for state-owned grocery stores as a way to shift public funds away from corporate retailers.
Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary last month and has since emerged as one of the leading contenders for the position of New York City mayor. Currently focused on his campaign, Mamdani has outlined several proposals, one of which includes the creation of city-owned grocery stores.
However, just weeks after his victory, a viral video has cast doubt on the feasibility of such an initiative. Footage of an empty public grocery store in Kansas City, Missouri, has attracted criticism online. The video, reportedly filmed at KC Sun Fresh, shows rows of bare shelves, as reported by KSHB 41.
New York Times.
Speaking on The Bulwark podcast, Mamdani said he plans to open one store in each of New York City's five boroughs. He estimated the total cost of the project at $65 million.
Acknowledging the experimental nature of the idea, Mamdani said, 'if they work, they work. And if they don't work, c'est la vie, then the idea was wrong."
This is not the first time a public official has proposed city-owned grocery initiatives. In 2023, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced a similar concept following the closure of Walmart and a Whole Foods in his city. His administration is now exploring the possibility of launching a city-run farmers' market, where vendors could sell their produce directly at one centralised location.
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July 25, 2025, 19:37 IST
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