Experts Warn Mamdani's $30 Million Grocery Plan Could Undercut NYC Bodegas

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 24

$30 million is slated for a city-backed grocery market at East Harlem's La Marqueta next year, but economists and local grocers say the plan could drain taxpayer money and pull customers from private stores.
Mamdani says the city-run supermarkets would lower food costs and improve access, with another 20,000-square-foot market planned for Hunts Point in 2027 as part of the Peninsula redevelopment.
45 grocery stores already sit within a 35-minute walk of La Marqueta, according to the report, fueling criticism that the neighborhood is already served by chains, bodegas and transit-linked shopping options.
Local operators said publicly backed lower prices could squeeze already thin margins, with one CTown manager warning nearby small stores would be hit hardest if shoppers switch.
The debate reaches beyond New York: similar municipal grocery efforts have surfaced elsewhere, and Atlanta has already opened a city-backed store aimed at underserved communities.

With similar stores failing elsewhere, how will NYC's $70M grocery plan succeed?

Could $70 million better serve New Yorkers by supporting existing grocers instead of competing with them?