A fair price for a can of Heinz Baked beans?

beeza

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Nov 2, 2006
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We are an English couple living in Sosua. After spending 6 months here we can see the desperation of our fellow ex-pats for baked beans!!
This got us thinking, and we are now setting the wheels in motion with our Lawyer to establish an import and distribution business. This would supply British products to the North Coast initially.
What we really need to know is how feasible this idea is?
By the time we have bought the product, paid the airfreight, handling, import taxes and transport costs the price is going to be significantly higher than you would pay in Sainsbury's or Tesco's!!
We need to know the sort of products people would like and what would be considered a reasonable price to pay bearing in mind the costs involved.
If anyone can spare the time we would appreciate your feedback on our idea. An ideal response would be your wishlist for your top 5 items and a suggested price.
The list of things we have in mind are:-
Heinz baked beans
Heinz Salad Cream
HP Sauce
Colmans English Mustard Powder
Oxo cubes
Marmite
Branston Pickle
Bisto gravy granules
Tetleys/PG Tips Teabags
Birds Custard Powder
Biscuits (Hobnobs,Custard Creams)
Weetabix
Ribena
Robinsons Orange Squash
Cadburys chocolate
Sweets (Jelly babies, Liquorice Allsorts, Haribou)

We are not going to offer alcohol initially as it complicates our licence issues and we just need to start simply. Later on we will look at products such as Guiness, Stella Artois, John Smith's Smooth and Cider.

Thanks for your time and we look forward to your responses.
Alex and Juliette
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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The big question:
I know we're desperate, but are there enough of us to make it cost-effective?:cheeky:

Some advice (in case you haven't looked into these options):
Some of these products are already imported to English speaking Caribbean countries, so it might be worth finding out whether you can tap into those supply routes instead of importing direct from the UK. Otherwise, via the US might be another option.

Some observations:
There are also online services for british expats like BritishCornerShop.co.uk, expatshopping.coop and expat-british-food.co.uk - I've never used them and would imagine that individual shipping costs to the DR via private mail services would make the prices too high.

What would I buy?
I'm not on the north coast but I would definitely buy Marmite and Weetabix, and possibly baked beans, chocolate, biscuits and custard powder, if the price wasn't too outlandish.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 

Matilda

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Sep 13, 2006
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There is a great website I used but I forget the name! It was something like teatime. Check out Britishgoodsonline.com to give you an idea of the prices they charge. Good idea though.

Matilda
 

beeza

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Nov 2, 2006
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Thanks for your advice. We would be interested to know how many Brits are in the DR. Somebody told us 6000 on the North Coast alone, but don't know if this is correct?
We have heard of somebody who has used the online ordering service but paid around ?100 for delivery!
We are looking at a medium to large scale operation starting with a minimum of regular one tonne consignments by air freight. (We already know those costs).
Keep the ideas coming, thanks!
 

Ladybird

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Dec 15, 2003
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Good luck

If you look at the supermarkets there must be someone already doing this for German goods and so much of it is delicious. Its expensive but some of us are willing to pay for these little treats. Once when Carina posted there was Heinz baked beans in Tropical supermarket in POP they were sold out before I could start my car. Also in demand cheese and onion crisps from UK but your list is def all I miss. You could start approaching the supermarket buyers to see if they are interested in buying stock from you. Or open your own expat supermarket. With Playeros and Janets prices they def need competition!!! all on North Coast, Sosua/ Cabarete
 

Lambada

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According to the Institute for Public Policy Research there are 1100 fulltime Brits in DR, 1400 part-timers, and out of the total 40 are pensioners.
BBC NEWS | UK | Brits Abroad: Country-by-country

One of the tour reps. Keeley (for those who knew her) set up a business like this 14 years ago after she left the tour company & settled here permanently.
I don't want to be depressing but I seem to recall that she jacked it in after 3 deliveries because of getting stiffed at the airport (& she knew her way around). The unforeseen costs meant she had to charge prices people simply weren't prepared to pay. She knew the airfreight costs in advance, it was the extras she hadn't factored in.

In those days there were few Brits. here. Now that we've had the invasion there might be enough to make it worth your while, but I would suggest very careful market research before you take this on. Be aware also that people might say yes in advance & then not come good when your products arrive.

The longer people are here the more likely they are to find substitutes for their cherished British items. Heinz baked beans for example in our household are Lam baked beans - I make my own. Have your desperate neighbours not found a way to do this yet, because it really isn't difficult? The only items I haven't turned my hand to which I use are Branston pickle and chocolate. I have a way of getting those brought in so unfortunately wouldn't be a very good customer for you. Matilda, bless her, when she visited UK offered to bring stuff back for me but there really wasn't anything which I desperately needed at the time........... So first check out how desperate people are or whether it's a spur of the wistful moment thing..........because you wouldn't want to be left with a lot of stuff on your hands which you couldn't shift because of the price at which you had to sell it in order to cover costs and make a profit.

Welcome to the DR and good luck to you! :)
 

knowledge

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Aug 2, 2005
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Certainly bits like Ribena and Robinsons would go down well amongst any expat peoples as there's nothing like these here...myself being reduced to diluting rica 100% in ratios of 5-1 to get something refreshing!

Prawn cocktail walkers crisps...kp skips...mint sauce...all your branston pickles...toffee crisp...maltesers...cadburys range...proper gherkins...the list goes on.

Give it a bash and I wish you the best of luck.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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According to the Institute for Public Policy Research there are 1100 fulltime Brits in DR, 1400 part-timers, and out of the total 40 are pensioners.
BBC NEWS | UK | Brits Abroad: Country-by-country
That's interesting, and I wonder how that could be confirmed. A couple of years ago the embassy used to say there were only 500, although that could just be the number of Brits who bothered to register.
 

london777

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Dec 22, 2005
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I am English, emigrating to the DR later this year (pensioner 41). If I never set eyes again on any of the sample products you list, and others like them, I will be only too happy. I do need a regular supply of tea-bags, but Liptons do fine for me. Are you proposing to sell DVDs of Coronation Street and Eastenders as well for the deeply homesick?

But seriously, good luck with your project, it is hard for any gringo to make an honest peso in business in the DR. I'll cheer you on from the sidelines even if I don't buy anything. :)
 

beeza

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Nov 2, 2006
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Hi Lambada, thanks for the info. I'm interested to hear more about Keeley. Is she still here? Did she have a registered import company and import licence? In theory if you have these, there are fixed tariffs with regards to imported goods, so you shouldn't be "stiffed" at the airport. These are costs that we hope to be able to factor in with our pricing structure, so we don't want any unwanted surprises when our consignment arrives! Although as yet we do not know what the tariffs are which is why we would like to hear about people's expected prices for each item.

If the import duty was 100%, would people still be prepared over three times the price for it? For instance, Sainsburys are selling a tin of Heinz Beanz for 46p. Would people be prepared to pay ?1.38 (85 pesos) a can here? It might be more, it might be less. But if this ball park figure is acceptable, then it might work.

One thing that we do need, however is a reliable customs clearing agent in POP airport. Unfortunatley there are aren't any agencies like Kahune and Nagel here. Is there someone around who can help us with customs?
 

vince1956

On Vacation!
May 24, 2006
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Tang orange

Certainly bits like Ribena and Robinsons would go down well amongst any expat peoples as there's nothing like these here...myself being reduced to diluting rica 100% in ratios of 5-1 to get something refreshing!

Prawn cocktail walkers crisps...kp skips...mint sauce...all your branston pickles...toffee crisp...maltesers...cadburys range...proper gherkins...the list goes on.

Give it a bash and I wish you the best of luck.

Knowledge have you tried tang makes 1 litre comes in a 35g pack we always bring some back to the uk refreshing with ice
 

Larry

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Mar 22, 2002
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The big question:
I know we're desperate, but are there enough of us to make it cost-effective?:cheeky:

Some advice (in case you haven't looked into these options):
Some of these products are already imported to English speaking Caribbean countries, so it might be worth finding out whether you can tap into those supply routes instead of importing direct from the UK. Otherwise, via the US might be another option.

Some observations:
There are also online services for british expats like BritishCornerShop.co.uk, expatshopping.coop and expat-british-food.co.uk - I've never used them and would imagine that individual shipping costs to the DR via private mail services would make the prices too high.

What would I buy?
I'm not on the north coast but I would definitely buy Marmite and Weetabix, and possibly baked beans, chocolate, biscuits and custard powder, if the price wasn't too outlandish.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Chiri, it's no wonder I love being in your company.

I just love listening to your thought process......
 
C

Chip00

Guest
a gringo americano's thoughts

Hunts or Heinz baked beans can be found at El Nacional but I don't think dark chocolate is to be found here - so load up on that for me!

The only other thing I really need is real fish and chips that I used to eat when I was stationed at an RAF base between Liverpool and Manchester. Man they were greasy but good - all that for 30 quid(1985)!
 

Lambada

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That's interesting, and I wonder how that could be confirmed. A couple of years ago the embassy used to say there were only 500, although that could just be the number of Brits who bothered to register.

Methodology is here: you'll spot inherent flaws ;)
BBC NEWS | UK | Brits Abroad FAQs: The data

I can tell you I'm one of the 40 pensioners because Pensions Dept. knows my address here since I wrote telling them I wouldn't claim heating allowance or bus pass but they could trade off against an air con. allowance. Actually maybe they don't know my address because they never replied.........:)

Beeza, I have no idea if Keeley is still here, somehow I doubt it. She used to be married to Peter of Rum Runners, I remember going to the wedding on the Malecon at PP Beach Resort. Rum Runners too sold out and left. The only person who would probably know is Anita, the British woman who has a ranch opposite Playa Dorada since they were close friends. A lot of expats come & go so I don't always keep up with who is here & who isn't unless it is someone who is a close friend of ours. I doubt very much if she had a registered import company - things were much more 'fly by the seat of your pants' in those days. Have you spoken to Mendez? He is pretty knowledgeable on clearing agents.

london777, if you're still saying that one year after you get here, you're probably going to do just fine.........:laugh: Welcome to you, too.

Crumbs, all these Brits. There will be fish & chips & bingo all over the place. Or if they've got a bit of couth Devonshire Cream Teas.........which part of the DR are you all moving to? Just curious.

30 QUID Chip? A quid is a pound (today worth nearly US$2). 60 bucks for fish & chips in 1985................they saw you coming, lol.
 

Ladybird

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Dec 15, 2003
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Hunts or Heinz baked beans can be found at El Nacional but I don't think dark chocolate is to be found here - so load up on that for me!

The only other thing I really need is real fish and chips that I used to eat when I was stationed at an RAF base between Liverpool and Manchester. Man they were greasy but good - all that for 30 quid(1985)!

Where is El Nacional Chip?

Fish and chips for 30 Quid?? thats 30 English pounds about 60 US$

Yes I agree with lots of salt and vinegar
 
C

Chip00

Guest
Where is El Nacional Chip?

Fish and chips for 30 Quid?? thats 30 English pounds about 60 US$

Yes I agree with lots of salt and vinegar

Whoops - I guess I should have said "pence" right? You know what I really miss was that vineager that put all over it. I had never tried that in the States before. I sure saved a lot of money because I ate that stuff twice a day too.

El Nacional is at the corner of La Estrella Sadhala nad Ave. 27 de Febrereo. Everybody knows it in town.

If you're friends with Grahme or his golf buddy Alan have them pick you up a few cans when they're in town to play golf with Hillbilly(Luis).
 

Ladybird

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Whoops - I guess I should have said "pence" right? You know what I really miss was that vineager that put all over it. I had never tried that in the States before. I sure saved a lot of money because I ate that stuff twice a day too.

El Nacional is at the corner of La Estrella Sadhala nad Ave. 27 de Febrereo. Everybody knows it in town.

If you're friends with Grahme or his golf buddy Alan have them pick you up a few cans when they're in town to play golf with Hillbilly(Luis).

I dont think I'll be eating any more fish and chips but the beans are healthy eating.

The incredile thing is when I visit the UK I usually have to buy new bags to fit in nearly all the things that were on the list of the op in this posting. The beans were the heaviest thing in my luggage. The last time my excess baggage charge was clost to the cost of the airfare.

Lambada I wish you would post your recipe for your baked beans - so many of us miss them. Also I hope the bingo crowd dont start coming in - that will surely mean yobs and more yobs
 

Lambada

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Recipe? :laugh: :laugh: I don't crochet or do tupperware parties either.......

White beans, pre-soak, tomato puree, salt, pepper, mustard, milk, any other additives which take your fancy. Cook. Common sense really. Or trial & error.:cheeky:

P.S. Bingo crowd already here. Take to the hills.
 

WeeJee

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Jun 26, 2006
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Just to let you know, the German shops around here charge about double the price of things over here than what they cost in Germany. It does sound expensive, but when you think about paying 60 pesos for a packet of biccies, it's not bad. Just look at the stupid, crazy prices in the Playero for things that are produced HERE! The very best of luck with your plans. I know you will have much success!
 

Saskia

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Jun 9, 2005
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Madness!

This is crazy ... baked beans on toast is the poor mans dinner UK, but yummy all the same ... umm with cheese too! Wow the things we take for granted eh!

What about tinned spagetti & ravioli ... do you get that out there?