Grocery store magnate Jeff Brown announced his run for mayor of Philadelphia on Wednesday, joining a crowded group of Democratic candidates vying for the city’s top job.
The first government-outsider to join the race, Brown is the CEO of Brown’s Super Stores Inc., which operates about a dozen ShopRites and two Fresh Grocers in and around Philadelphia. The fourth-generation Philadelphian grocer employees more than 2,300 associates, according to his site.
"It’s been a privilege to take care of families, and what I found is there’s a common thread we all have: we care about our families and we want to take care of them, we want to feel safe, and we want to be respected. And it’s as simple as that," Brown said to a room full of people at his announcement in University City late Wednesday morning.
Brown was one of the most prominent opponents to Mayor Jim Kenney’s soda tax, WHYY reported in 2019. He's also been known for his efforts combatting "food deserts" in poverty-stricken neighborhoods in Philadelphia.
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Brown joins five other Democrats in the race for Philly mayor. On Tuesday, real estate developer and former City Councilmember Allan Domb announced his campaign. Brown and Domb join Maria Quiñones-Sanchez, Derek Green, Cherelle Parker and Rebecca Rhynhart.
Kenney, who's nearing the end of his second term, cannot run for a third term.
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