Supermarket Information

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Today I was talking with the owners of the supermarket where I shop in Sosua and was complimenting them on the fact that new products, with brand names I have never heard of but are of good quality, were appearing on the shelves at prices much below those stocked previously. They told me that during the four years the PRD was in power that more than 3,000 products disappeared from shelves. Now , they said, with the help and encouragement of the new government these products, and others, are starting to be imported. It is a big help to the shopper.

For example, I get my morning protein from peanut butter. I'm now able to buy an off brand I like for about RD$105, including taxes) instead of about RD$180 for name brand. Canned peaches are eaten by my wife at times when she can't eat fresh fruit. Previously the cheapest available, with light syrup, was about RD$140, but now there is a product of equal quality available for RD$72 in the large can.

When shopping at the supermarket, it pays to check your options for each product to see if an inexpensive off-brand is available.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
I HEAR you Ken ........ Loud & clear!!
"She who must be Obeyed" has been doing this for the past 12 years since she started shopping here in the DR & must have saved us a minimum of RD $2,000 per month by her vigilance. This, without loss of nutritional value NOR taste I might add!! ~ Grahame.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
0
0
Ken said:
They told me that during the four years the PRD was in power that more than 3,000 products disappeared from shelves. .

Jeepers, bad government and serial shoplifters as well.
 

Jersey Devil

Bronze
Jul 5, 2002
686
0
16
Good News

This is evidence that things are improving. I just wish that there were more tangible examples to point out.
 

Ladybird

Bronze
Dec 15, 2003
1,768
24
38
dreamteamdownloads1.com
Ken said:
Today I was talking with the owners of the supermarket where I shop in Sosua and was complimenting them on the fact that new products, with brand names I have never heard of but are of good quality, were appearing on the shelves at prices much below those stocked previously. They told me that during the four years the PRD was in power that more than 3,000 products disappeared from shelves. Now , they said, with the help and encouragement of the new government these products, and others, are starting to be imported. It is a big help to the shopper.

For example, I get my morning protein from peanut butter. I'm now able to buy an off brand I like for about RD$105, including taxes) instead of about RD$180 for name brand. Canned peaches are eaten by my wife at times when she can't eat fresh fruit. Previously the cheapest available, with light syrup, was about RD$140, but now there is a product of equal quality available for RD$72 in the large can.

When shopping at the supermarket, it pays to check your options for each product to see if an inexpensive off-brand is available.

Ken, if you talk to them again can you ask them please will they ever stock Heinz or any other brand of Baked Beans,,,, sadly missed here by many expats.

I agree with you about the peanut butter, Ive been buying a cheaper local brand in a Dominican supermarket for some time. Prices are so crazy now. Thanks for your diligence in this info.
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
2,691
4
0
Good posting! And I think many of us living here, go for the local brands when we find something we like and that is simular to what we are used to. There are many good products out there, the peanutbutter is a good example! I go local here too, also on tomato soup, mayonese and much,much more..
Many local products are really, really as good as the imported ones..
So yes, many of us go "local" as much as we can!

Heinz baked beans where available at Tropical in POP last week, I got a few cans! ;)
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
carina said:
Good posting! And I think many of us living here, go for the local brands ....................

Heinz baked beans where available at Tropical in POP last week, I got a few cans! ;)

But why not Make YOUR OWN????? Much, much, MUCH cheaper, no effort & just as good if you use trial & error with the sauce mix!! - Grahame.
 

Ladybird

Bronze
Dec 15, 2003
1,768
24
38
dreamteamdownloads1.com
Yummie

BushBaby said:
But why not Make YOUR OWN????? Much, much, MUCH cheaper, no effort & just as good if you use trial & error with the sauce mix!! - Grahame.

Is that an offer Grahame? Now Carina has posted this info Tropical will be sold out,, got any spare tins Carina?
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
2,691
4
0
In your dreams!!
But seriously, I have seen it quite often at Tropical, so I don?t think it is a huge problem...
The lady who administrates the supermarket is also very nice, I have asked her to take in serveral products on some occations, like x-mas when I needed some ingredients etc, and she is always helpful and fixes whatever she can!
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
410
0
80
www.ginniebedggood.com
Ladybird said:
Is that an offer Grahame?

I doubt it. I make the baked beans in our household. Although if it was you could also get him to check your TV, repair your washing machine, examine your inverter, and.......er, sprinkle Holy Water for a purpose that I'm sure doesn't need elaborating.......... ;)

Ken,
I ABSOLUTELY agree with you on local products. In fact I think it is a good test of whether the new immigrants here will make it or not. If they can't do without their imported xyz, one wonders what the survivability rate is. Could be long term adjusting to life in DR is inversely proportional to the number of imported items stocked in their cupboards...............?
 

momonholiday

New member
Mar 27, 2005
4
0
0
Peanut Butter anyone?

I've been reading the very valuable info on peanut butter. We are coming to Sosua for a month this summer and my husband is pretty dependent on the stuff. Is PB made locally in the DR? He likes the natural stuff as opposed to "Jiffy". What would the container size and price be for local PB?

Thanks for any info, and by the way - where do we get good local chocolate chip cookies? (another addiction).
 

Texas Bill

Silver
Feb 11, 2003
2,174
26
0
97
www.texasbill.com
Another Dreamer-----for canned Sweet Potatoes (Yams in the South)

Has ANYONE seen canned Sweet Potatoes or Yams on the shelf?
When i first arrived in the DR in 2000 I bought a couple of cans at Nacional in Santiago. But, I haven't seen such since then.
If any of you see them on the shelf, please PM me so I can come and buy a CASE of them. Also, Corned Beef in cans or fresh plastic wrapped.
I can usually find other products I grew up with (such as black-eyed peas) but some are just not available here and it sure would be nice--------
BTW, I do make my own Salt Pork. I like it sliced and fried with a can of pork & beans, a salad dish and french bread. That's my meal when I can't make up my mind what I want. Drives margarita crazy--I'm muy loco, according to her.

Thanks

Texas Bill
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
momonholiday, I'm using the creamy peanut butter from Country Barn. It is imported, but sells for about RD$105 for an 18 oz bottle. The "big" names sell for about RD$180. I buy the peanut butter at the big Playero supermarket on the highway in Sosua. They also sell a product that looks like it could be natural; I'll check it out next time I am there. I don't buy it because of the price difference.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
How To Make "Heinz" Ketchup In The DR!

If you miss having "Heinz" ketchup but can't find,or "afford" it here,try this substitute.
Buy some Catsup "Victorina" (It is much cheaper if you buy it in the can!)
The taste of Dominican Ketchup is vert "sweet", and "Americans/Canadians are used to a "Tangy" flavored ketchup.Sooooooo Take your "Victorina" Catsup,pour a cup into a bowl,and start adding white vinegar at about 1 tsp.(Tea Spoon) at a time,mix it well after each tsp.until it "tastes" the way you like it.For me,I add about a table spoon,or a little more,per cup of catsup.I keep it in those red squeeze bottles that "La Famosa" sells it's catsup in.I keep several bottles in the refrige at all times.
As far as mayonaise goes,I can usually find "Kraft" or "Hellmann's" on sale(Supermercado National) at the saame price as Dominican Mayonaise.(Which Sucks!)
I have NEVER seen a "Dominican Peanutbutter"!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

Texas Bill

Silver
Feb 11, 2003
2,174
26
0
97
www.texasbill.com
Criss Colon said:
If you miss having "Heinz" ketchup but can't find,or "afford" it here,try this substitute.
Buy some Catsup "Victorina" (It is much cheaper if you buy it in the can!)
The taste of Dominican Ketchup is vert "sweet", and "Americans/Canadians are used to a "Tangy" flavored ketchup.Sooooooo Take your "Victorina" Catsup,pour a cup into a bowl,and start adding white vinegar at about 1 tsp.(Tea Spoon) at a time,mix it well after each tsp.until it "tastes" the way you like it.For me,I add about a table spoon,or a little more,per cup of catsup.I keep it in those red squeeze bottles that "La Famosa" sells it's catsup in.I keep several bottles in the refrige at all times.
As far as mayonaise goes,I can usually find "Kraft" or "Hellmann's" on sale(Supermercado National) at the saame price as Dominican Mayonaise.(Which Sucks!)
I have NEVER seen a "Dominican Peanutbutter"!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Criss; The last time I saw Dominican PB, it had so much oil in it as to be muy malo! Would rather pay the extra price for peter pan and/or skippy's than try to use local stuff. Probable difference is at the behest of locals.

Also, agree about Dominican Mayonaise. I add white vinegar to it to gain the tangy taste I like. Additionally, use horseradish sauce added to catsup for seafood sauce. The bottled kind just isn'tto my taste.

Texas Bill
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
There are a couple of Dominican peanut butter brands, made by companies like Granix that are mainly aimed at the health-food market. They are definitely not oily, on the contrary, they are low in salt and very lightly sweetened if at all. Haitian peanut butter is very good quality, and there is a special spicy (piquante) variety which is -ahem- memorable. I haven't seen any of these sold in supermarkets in Santo Domingo, so I doubt they'd be available in north coast ones.
 

jsizemore

Bronze
Aug 6, 2003
691
0
0
57
american style products

Ok guys I have a question about these troubles you are having. In my years cooking in the military I have found myself out of things such as mayonaise, ketchup, BBQ sause pancake syrup and so forth. Some of them are easy to make others require imagination and susbstitutes. All the products you listed such as baked beans, BBQ sauce, Mayonais, Peanut Butter and so forth should be easily made using local ingrediants.
Why not form an informal coop and swap stuff back and forth.
One person perfect beasn another perfect PB and another Yogur and so forth.
Just a thought.

P.S. 2 days until Terminal Leave
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
20
38
www.dominicancooking.com
Jane J. said:
I've had this on the North Coast - under the name mamb? and bought from "The Haitian Peanut Lady."
Mamb? is not exactly peanut butter. Peanut butter is creamier, has less fat and it has a sweet touch that mamb? doesn't have. You can find Mamb? that is either plain (for making "chocolate de man?) salty or salty and spicy.