Supermarket Billionaire Threatens To Cut Workforce, Move To Florida After Mamdani’s Win
ByMartina Di Licosa,
Forbes Staff.
Martina Di Licosa is a reporter covering consumer businesses
Nov 07, 2025, 06:00am ESTNov 07, 2025, 07:58am EST
John Catsimatidis
John Catsimatidis talks about his run for the New York City Mayor in his Manhattan Office. (Photo By: Mark Bonifacio/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
NY Daily News via Getty Images
Big Apple billionaire John Catsimatidis planned to move his business to New Jersey if Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor. Now he’s reconsidering.
New York City supermarket billionaire John Catsimatidis went nuclear in June, when Zohran Mamdani, who had proposed opening a cheap city-run grocery story in each of the five boroughs, won the democratic primary for mayor. Catsimatidis held a press conference with Bodega owners; publicly threatened to shut down his 30-plus stores if the democratic socialist won the election; and ranted on TV. “He’s not qualified... this is silly,” he said on FOX News, comparing Mamdani to Fidel Castro. “It’s one big con game.”
He also called President Trump, who publicly backed his friend. “[Mamdani] actually wants to take over the grocery stores of John Catsimatidis, who’s a great guy, a rich guy,” Trump said of his buddy, whose net worth Forbes pegs at $4.8 billion, “He actually called me the other day, he’s concerned his stores are going to be taken from him, and they won’t be run like John runs them, believe me, he runs a good operation.”
Now that Mamdani has been elected, Catsimatidis is once again agitating. “I think a lot of business people are reducing their exposure to New York City,” he tells Forbes. Catsimatidis—whose $7.8 billion (revenue) Red Apple Group also owns a Pennsylvania oil refinery, some 400 convenience stores and a portfolio of real estate stretching from New York to Florida—had been looking to move Red Apple’s headquarters to New Jersey if Mamdani became mayor. He changed his mind after Tuesday’s election. “New Jersey didn't go the right way,” he says—after the state resoundingly elected Democrat Mikie Sherrill as governor. Now, he’s looking for “friendly states” to relocate operations, with Florida being the most likely candidate. “The key word is a common sense place to do business in,” explains Catsimatidis..
www.forbes.com
ByMartina Di Licosa,
Forbes Staff.
Martina Di Licosa is a reporter covering consumer businesses
Nov 07, 2025, 06:00am ESTNov 07, 2025, 07:58am EST
John Catsimatidis
John Catsimatidis talks about his run for the New York City Mayor in his Manhattan Office. (Photo By: Mark Bonifacio/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
NY Daily News via Getty Images
Big Apple billionaire John Catsimatidis planned to move his business to New Jersey if Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor. Now he’s reconsidering.
New York City supermarket billionaire John Catsimatidis went nuclear in June, when Zohran Mamdani, who had proposed opening a cheap city-run grocery story in each of the five boroughs, won the democratic primary for mayor. Catsimatidis held a press conference with Bodega owners; publicly threatened to shut down his 30-plus stores if the democratic socialist won the election; and ranted on TV. “He’s not qualified... this is silly,” he said on FOX News, comparing Mamdani to Fidel Castro. “It’s one big con game.”
He also called President Trump, who publicly backed his friend. “[Mamdani] actually wants to take over the grocery stores of John Catsimatidis, who’s a great guy, a rich guy,” Trump said of his buddy, whose net worth Forbes pegs at $4.8 billion, “He actually called me the other day, he’s concerned his stores are going to be taken from him, and they won’t be run like John runs them, believe me, he runs a good operation.”
Now that Mamdani has been elected, Catsimatidis is once again agitating. “I think a lot of business people are reducing their exposure to New York City,” he tells Forbes. Catsimatidis—whose $7.8 billion (revenue) Red Apple Group also owns a Pennsylvania oil refinery, some 400 convenience stores and a portfolio of real estate stretching from New York to Florida—had been looking to move Red Apple’s headquarters to New Jersey if Mamdani became mayor. He changed his mind after Tuesday’s election. “New Jersey didn't go the right way,” he says—after the state resoundingly elected Democrat Mikie Sherrill as governor. Now, he’s looking for “friendly states” to relocate operations, with Florida being the most likely candidate. “The key word is a common sense place to do business in,” explains Catsimatidis..
NYC Billionaire Threatens Job Cuts After Mamdani’s Mayoral Win
John Catsimatidis warns of layoffs and possible move to Florida after Zohran Mamdani wins NYC mayoral primary, citing city-run grocery competition.
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