FOX Enterprise’ Ashley Webster has the most recent on the shop’s efforts to focus on a ‘meals desert’ on ‘Varney & Co.’
O’Leary Ventures Chairman Kevin O’Leary explains why city-run grocery shops are a ‘unhealthy thought,’ shares considerations over Zohran Mamdani’s guarantees, and discusses why he backs Bitzero.
Atlanta’s first government-operated grocery retailer, Azalea Contemporary Market, has had a profitable begin, in keeping with metropolis officers.
The community-driven grocery retailer, funded by taxpayers, is positioned within the downtown space lengthy thought-about a meals desert. Metropolis of Atlanta, Make investments Atlanta, IGA and Savi Provisions collectively labored collectively to develop the shop, which has served tens of 1000’s of consumers since opening final fall.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens informed Black Enterprise that the shop served greater than 20,000 prospects in its first weeks of opening final fall.
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“Our Administration made a dedication to broaden entry to recent meals throughout the town, and Azalea Contemporary Market is a big milestone in making certain wholesome, complete neighborhoods,” Dickens, who additionally serves as Make investments Atlanta Board Chair, stated in a press release.
Azalea Contemporary Market in Atlanta is the primary municipal grocery retailer within the state. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
Dickens referred to as the shop a “neighborhood hub that may serve neighborhood residents, help Georgia-grown merchandise and promote more healthy existence as we proceed to revitalize Downtown.”
Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CEO of Make investments Atlanta, stated the goal of the shop is to additionally “stimulate native job progress and proceed to invigorate the Downtown financial system.”
“This initiative is one other instance of Atlanta main the way in which in addressing meals entry and meals insecurity with a brand new grocery retailer mannequin that may foster sustainable neighborhood improvement and enrich the lives of native residents,” stated Klementich.
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The shop is open day by day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and spans two ranges, providing a variety of merchandise together with recent produce, dairy, meats and pantry staples. It additionally sources from native farmers and suppliers to help the regional financial system.

Azalea Contemporary Market in Atlanta is the primary municipal grocery retailer within the state. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
Atlanta’s effort is being carefully watched by different cities, a few of which have struggled to maintain comparable government-backed grocery shops, in addition to others which might be contemplating launching their very own.
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New York Metropolis socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was sworn in New 12 months’s Day, has floated the concept of city-owned grocers within the Large Apple.

Zohran Mamdani, New York Metropolis mayoral candidate, speaks throughout the United Federation of Academics mayoral discussion board in New York on Might 17, 2025. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
Mamdani campaigned on a slate of progressive insurance policies aimed toward decreasing the price of dwelling. Amongst his proposals, Mamdani stated he wished to create a community of city-owned grocery shops. However Mamdani’s plan confronted pushback from enterprise leaders, with Billionaire grocery government John Catsimatidis threatening at one level that he would shut or promote his Gristedes areas if the town moved ahead with government-run supermarkets.
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Whereas Catsimatidis later walked again these threats, he has stated he intends to scale back his firm’s publicity in New York.