A months-old video from the grand opening of Patel Brothers in Piscataway, New Jersey, is surging across social media again, showing packed produce aisles and shoppers crowding around vegetables during opening promotions that included a reported $1.99-per-pound parwal deal.
What is going on in New Jersey? pic.twitter.com/G4gFDxhUHY
— Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) September 20, 2026
The scenes were recorded around the storeâs June 30, 2026 opening, not in September. The footage resurfaced on X around September 19â20, triggering fresh discussion about the huge turnout, South Asian grocery demand and the risks of older videos circulating without their original context.
Huge Crowd Packs Patel Brothers Piscataway Opening
Patel Brothers opened its Piscataway supermarket at 1306 Centennial Ave., at a site previously associated with a ShopRite operation.
The grand opening featured a ribbon-cutting and cultural celebrations before large numbers of shoppers entered the store. Videos from the opening period showed congested aisles, customers maneuvering shopping carts through tight spaces and particularly heavy activity around fresh produce.
One promotion repeatedly associated with the rush was parwal, also known as pointed gourd, reportedly priced at $1.99 per pound. The vegetable is widely used in Indian cooking and can be harder to find fresh at mainstream U.S. supermarkets.
However, the available evidence does not establish that the parwal discount alone caused the crowd. Interest in a new supermarket, other opening promotions and local demand could also have contributed to the turnout.
Old Footage Finds a New Audience in September
The video gained another wave of attention after footage from the opening was reposted on X around September 19â20.
Among those sharing the clip was commentator Alex Jones, whose posts generated further discussion about New Jersey, immigration and cultural differences. Other social-media users compared the packed aisles with Black Friday shopping crowds, while some highlighted the turnout as evidence of demand for stores serving Indian and South Asian communities.
Those reactions should be distinguished from verified details about the event. The footage does not establish the ethnicity, religion, citizenship or immigration status of individual shoppers shown inside the supermarket.
The timing is also important. Although the clip is circulating again now, the crowded scenes date to the June opening rather than a new September shopping rush.
Patel Brothers Expands Its U.S. Grocery Footprint
Patel Brothers specializes in Indian and South Asian groceries, including fresh vegetables, spices, rice, flour, lentils, frozen foods and regional pantry products.
The business traces its roots to Chicago in 1974 and has since expanded across the United States. The companyâs official Patel Brothers store directory lists the Piscataway location at 1306 Centennial Ave.
Some online summaries have described Piscataway as the chainâs 60th U.S. store. Patel Brothers currently describes its network as having more than 50 locations, making the exact â60th storeâ designation difficult to independently confirm from the companyâs public information.
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Rutgers Connection Adds Local Relevance
The Piscataway supermarket also serves a broader local role. Rutgers University lists Patel Brothers among destinations available through its grocery shuttle program for eligible New Brunswick students.
The service helps students reach grocery stores offering affordable and culturally diverse food choices, adding another source of potential demand beyond the immediate Piscataway neighborhood.
$1.99 Parwal Deal Becomes the Viral Talking Point
Parwal may be unfamiliar to many American shoppers, but it is used in numerous Indian dishes. Access to fresh South Asian vegetables can vary by location, making specialty supermarkets particularly important for households that regularly cook with them.
Opening-day discounts can therefore combine price with product availability, creating unusually strong demand. Large promotional crowds are also not unique to Indian grocery stores; major retail openings, holiday sales and limited-time food offers regularly generate similar rushes.
Other consumer promotions have also attracted widespread attention, including Dunkinâs $12.99 oversized beverage promotion and Targetâs 2026 U.S. store expansion.
Viral Posts Need the Original Timeline
The Patel Brothers story involves two separate moments: a heavily attended Piscataway opening in late June and a renewed burst of social-media attention in September.
The $1.99 parwal promotion was reported in connection with the opening, but claims that it alone caused the entire rush should be treated cautiously. Similarly, commentary attached to the resurfaced video should not be mistaken for verified information about the shoppers.
For anyone encountering the footage now, the most important context is simple: the crowded store video is older, while the online debate surrounding it is new. Its second viral run has turned a New Jersey supermarket opening into a broader conversation about specialty grocery demand, promotional crowds and how quickly old footage can regain attention online.
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