Paul Nair advised Mayor Mamdani's office that city-run grocery stores should not be operated by city employees due to their lack of retail expertise.

The state of New Jersey has 59 designated food deserts, defined as areas where there are no grocery stores within a 2 to 3-mile radius.

The Azalea Fresh Market is funded through a public-private partnership involving a small city grant and a low-interest loan that must be repaid.