New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani defended his plan for government-run grocery stores on Friday when pressed about a failed attempt in Kansas City, Missouri.
CNN host Abby Phillip questioned Mamdani about the Kansas City Sun Fresh market, a government-run grocery store that closed due to crime and inventory issues, asking how his plan would be different.
Mamdani stated that he acknowledges past failures but believes his plan, which includes opening five stores across New York City at a cost of $60 million, can succeed. He emphasized that this cost is less than what the city currently spends subsidizing corporate supermarkets.
The Kansas City Sun Fresh market, purchased and renovated by the city for over $17 million, reportedly suffered from empty shelves and crime, leading employees to carry tasers. Despite emergency funding, the store ultimately closed.
Mamdani’s broader progressive agenda includes raising corporate taxes, providing free bus service, and implementing rent freezes. He plans to create five city-run grocery stores in New York City, guaranteeing cheaper groceries, not free food.
He cited studies suggesting the viability of such a project in urban settings like Chicago and expressed confidence in his plan’s ability to deliver results for New Yorkers.
