Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to create a network of city-backed grocery stores is already drawing sharp criticism from one of New York’s most prominent supermarket operators, who says the plan could put existing neighborhood businesses in an impossible position.
John Catsimatidis, the longtime owner of Gristedes supermarkets, argues that government-subsidized stores could undercut private grocers while leaving taxpayers responsible for the bill.
The debate comes as Mamdani promotes a plan centered on five publicly supported grocery stores, backed initially by roughly $70 million in city funding. Supporters say the concept could provide New Yorkers with lower prices and expand access to affordable food. Critics, however, question whether taxpayers should finance stores that would compete directly with businesses already operating in the same neighborhoods.
