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Q&A
Council Member Bottcher questions the feasibility of city-owned grocery stores
1:06:43
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92 sec
Council Member Erik Bottcher inquires about the idea of city-owned grocery stores, and Executive Director Kate MacKenzie responds with insights on the challenges and considerations of such an endeavor. MacKenzie emphasizes the complexity of operating grocery stores, including the need for worker protections, food quality assurance, and the slim profit margins in the industry.
- MacKenzie mentions exploring alternative grocery models, such as low-cost and nonprofit options.
- She highlights the difficulties in running grocery stores, including operational challenges and financial constraints.
- MacKenzie suggests learning from other cities like Chicago and Washington that have explored similar concepts.
Erik Bottcher
1:06:43
Thank you so much.
1:06:44
Good afternoon.
1:06:46
What's your opinion about the idea of city owned grocery stores?
Kate MacKenzie
1:06:59
As I mentioned in my testimony, we have a great deal of different sizes in supermarkets.
1:07:04
And I think that there are a lot of new and different forms of grocery stores.
1:07:10
As I was mentioning to council member Brewer, having we have there's some stores in Utica, for example, called Bargain Grocery.
1:07:18
We've been in conversation to understand how we can really utilize a low cost grocery model.
1:07:25
Sometimes in other parts of the state or country, it's operated in a nonprofit model.
1:07:30
So I am more than happy to learn about any form of grocery store to be able to serve the needs of New Yorkers.
Erik Bottcher
1:07:37
What about the notion of the city owning and operating Mhmm.
1:07:42
Grocery stores itself?
Kate MacKenzie
1:07:44
What I have learned is that the the operating a grocery store is hard.
1:07:51
And ensuring the quality of of of of certainly the worker protections, ensuring the quality of food, the margins are slim at best, and it's a hard business.
1:08:02
So I would wanna make sure that any market can be successful, and I'd wanna understand more from perhaps my colleagues in Chicago or Washington who have dabbled in those ideas.
1:08:14
Thank you.