New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled a pricing plan for the city’s future municipally owned grocery stores, promising 30% discounts on a core basket of essential food items while pricing other products at market rates.
The administration estimates the discounts could save shoppers about $90 a month, or roughly $1,000 a year. Discounted products will include staples such as fruits and vegetables, pasta, meat, seafood, bread, yogurt, rice and beans.
Under the plan, the city will own or lease the properties and fund construction or renovations, while private operators will manage the stores. The administration said the stores will not sell cigarettes, alcohol, lottery tickets or prepared hot food in an effort to avoid competing directly with neighborhood bodegas.
The city plans to open five community grocery stores, with the first expected to open in the Bronx next year. One location has already been confirmed at La Marqueta in East Harlem, while all five stores are expected to be operating by 2029. The project includes $70 million in the city’s capital budget.
