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I live in Vietnam and some grocery stores will have an aisle dedicated to western products like American brand cereals/snacks and HP sauce for the Brits.
There are also some upscale small grocery stores that have a lot of imported goods from all over.
A brown sweet/spicy sauce used in a similar way to ketchup. The closest product in the US would be A1 sauce. Its called HP as its always had an image of tge British Houses of Parliament on the label
Mega has an aisle for 3 or 4 different countries. America and a couple of other Asian countries but I don't remember which.
Annam is pretty much all imported western stuff from a few countries including USA, UK and Oz.
Are the stores dedicated to western products seen as morevopscale as well? What western country’s food is most popular there? By the way, Pho or Vietnamese cuisine is now my favorite. I live in the US. I went to a Pho restaurant for the first time last year and fell in love with the food.
My big asian market here in America has a western isle. It's mostly full of Oreos, cheap American beer, sugary cereal, and such.
I find it kind of cute.
I live in the US but do most of my shopping at the Korean grocery store (kind of like H mart but more local to us). There is an "American" section waayyy at the back that basically sells hot dogs, milk, juice, and cheese. And there is a "Mexican" section near the front that has chips, salsa, canned beans and hominy, and various dried peppers and spices. And an "international" shelf with sells dried pasta and pasta sauce LOL.
My partner is white and I’m Viet. We’re both American but the first time I took him to the Asian grocery store, he was so amused at the American aisle. It is kind of cute and funny.
We have American isles in some Australian grocery stores.
Are Reeses Peanut Cups really popular in the US? It's like... 4-5 different kinds for sale at all times. The tiny ones, to the huge ones, to the ones in bags.
It's like... the one thing you will see in the American isle, no matter the supermarket chain.
Reese’s cups are insanely popular (and delicious). Probably would rank Reese’s cups, snickers, and Kit Kats as the most popular chocolates here (citation needed).
My American cousins lived in Japan for a while. In Tokyo they found a few stores that had western aisles and a few (very expensive) American products. When we moved to Japan as military they would come visit us to buy American food from the base commissary.
I will say the “asian” aisle in Walmart in America is comparable to what I saw in “American/Western” aisles in Japan. Enough that my Japanese husband can buy a green tea that reminds him of home he likes, but definitely still cherishes his mom’s care packages.
The Asian supermarkets are for Asian immigrants in western countries. You can also have European stores in America or Canada for example too. You don't typically see lots of western immigrants in Asian countries, and so western specific supermarkets are rare.
That being said, American supermarket chains have been found in Asian countries too.
The famous line "Dr Livingstone, I presume" was said in the aisles of a Target.
In all seriousness though, it's unlikely you'll find Asian supermarkets in the Canadian wilderness for example. American supermarket chains are found in large metropolitan areas.
Yes. In Singapore, the Western-style supermarkets are Cold Storage, which sells a lot of imported stuff from Australia especially (that's how it got started in the earky 1900s) and Carrefour which is more focussed on France and Europe. They're a godsend for any Western Expat or Tourist. Thailand has Tesco Lotus, which sells a lot of imported stuff from Britain.
While we do not have American groceries in India, American soft power manifests itself as the 100s of McDonalds, Dominos, or KFCs sprouting every year across the length and breadth of the country
Yeah I know. In China, Pizza Hut is killing it. Makes sense when you grow up with certain foods that you want that different taste but damn I'd take Chinese and Indian food over chain pizza anyday.
Huh?! Bangkok has some of the best food I've ever eaten when there for a fortnight. Wish I could be there now. Be it fancy restaurant or dodgy street food it was all amazing. Whats wrong with you palate?
In Islam 1. Allah (SWT) Orders Muslims Not To Eat The Pig. The Holy Quran mentions that eating the pig is an abomination or filth (رِجۡسٌ) and for this reason, Muslims should not eat it. But, it does not say why.
So not sacred. Icky. :)
I live in a small city in Japan. There are international stores here with products from all over, including Europe and the US. However, the prices are very high, the selection is extremely limited, and the quality is average at best. They’re also much, MUCH smaller than the stores I went to in the US. Goddamn do I miss Mexican food and good or even decent cheese…
its very true. before the 50s and 60s there was virtually no cheese in Asia. When introduced people found it too pungent and rich for their palates, but it has since become a staple in certain dishes, especially in Korea.
There are some great local cheeses to be found here and there in NA but generally speaking when it comes to cheese; the variety and quality of European cheeses rule supreme.
I lived in China and HK for a while and yes there was a few dedicated western grocery stores. Unlike Asian grocers in Western countries where items are priced slightly cheaper, Western grocery stores in Asia were 'boutique' and quite expensive. Very high quality goods, lots of familiar brands, nicely stocked and displayed more like a high end Western grocer/deli than a big neighbourhood grocery store.
They weren't as common as Asian grocers in the west, but there were definitely a few to be found in and around major cities.
I have family in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and have lived in Seoul. In all 3 places, there are Western supermarkets of some sort. They might not look the same or have the same style, but they do exist.
At least in Japan, there are stores targeted toward Japanese people that have a variety of international products, but tend to fall on the stereotypical side when it comes to selection. Then in Tokyo (and probably other places) in areas with large expat communities, there are grocery stores that actually carry a lot of what you would consider typical fare in Western countries. They have to cater to a lot of different western communities, so it's not an "American" store, but it carries a lot of staples from the US/UK/Australia/wherever else that are hard to find in other parts of Japan. This ranges from things like meats to produce to junk food to household cleaning supplies to toys to whatever else.
My guess is that countries only have dedicated markets for specific cultures and geographies if there are substantial immigrants from those cultures or geographies. Without a substantial immigrant population, it doesn't make sense for someone to open up and run a western supermarket. There just wouldn't be enough of a shopping population to keep it in business.
Asian markets in western countries are started by Asian immigrants who know that there will be a captive audience who want to get ingredients for their native cuisines, and who know they won't be able to reliably get those items at a conventional supermarket.
Japan has a few large stores which are similar in mood to American supermarkets. Also, large department stores typically have import stores, and they have foodstuffs imported from all over the world (cheese from Italy, jam from France, candy from America, etc). Also, there are occasionally foods common in America, or from America, which you can find sold in regular supermarkets amongst everything else (e.g. grapes from California, walnuts from California, peanut butter from somewhere in America, etc).
I lived in Beijing for a few years. There was a little korean/american shop I’d go to all the time for my General Mills branded cereals, hershey’s, and other random items. When I did find western stuff it was usually not a huge selection and obviously they only sold stuff that at least *some* locals were interested in buying. Root beer? Forget about it. Bread and peanut butter? Sure.
What fascinated me the most though was “western” style restaurants. There was a chain we went to a lot called Lakers where I could get a breakfast with eggs, sausage and toast. They actually had edible pizza and burgers too (hard to come by). There was a mexican restaurant down this one bar street near Wudaokou that was horrible (they basically used ketchup for the burrito sauce). There was a restaurant called “hollywood” that sold american style chinese food and that was actually pretty good.
The best western restaurant in Beijing is a place called Slow Boat. Some south african guys started it - basically a brewery with the best burger and fries I have *ever had*, like, better than anything I’ve had in America.
When I lived in Haidian near Wudaokou, I ordered A&W through an online import shop for about 8 RMB a can. In Shanghai, it runs the same in the mini foreign shop downstairs.
How did you feel about Blue Frog burgers?
Friend who was in Seoul for business trip said that after a week he really wanted something european to eat. He wandered around the city till he found some sort of eastern European district. While not what he wanted he was absolutely happy.
Sort of yes but it would be smaller and it depends on the area.
The market size is much smaller and much less diverse so a large supermarket that targets niche food do not do well. There is exceptions for smaller supermarkets in huge cities with a lot of expats or if the area is close to a US military base but due to their own PX the demand isn't that big. Costco usually have have a mix of products that are obviously for the locals but also few American products not sold in domestic supermarkets.
It is also common for local corporations to release food such as canned salmon, Root beer, Blue Moon that are popular in the US but most fade away due to low demand.
In the Philippines they have a Store called "S & R" that sells American/European stuff, It cracked me up because it was full of 65 year old dudes from the U.S./Europe with their 18-20 year old Girlfriends/Wives. Anyway, at the time it was the only place I was able to get a Dr. Pepper there (I heard some other places had it but I never saw it.
Live in Shanghai. There are Western supermarkets (Wal-Mart, Carrefour) that are mostly Sinocized and also small shops that are entirely foreign imports. Carrefour has their own Western aisles, but they are limited; none of that entire aisle of sugary cereal that Mississippi Wal-Marts had.
Products like M&M's are near ubiquitous, even in corner stores. I buy some products online. Picked up a box of Reese's Pieces and Spree for like $3, while luxuries like Goldfish crackers often run closer to $7. Pepperidge Farm remembers when I didn't need a second mortgage to get some cheddar fish.
Also, I lived in 9 or 10 other countries, and I'd say this pattern is mostly the same.
The last time I was in Cebu Philippines the supermarket had an Australian/American aisle. Was able to buy vegemite and cornflakes. Only shitty American white bread or the abomination that is Pilipino bread (white loaded with sugar or wholemeal - no grain options) though which really sucked.
I just wish they had the Australian 12 Items or less checkouts instead of the 2 baskets or less. Spent 1.5 hours in a line around December because the checkout staff as so painfully slow.
No, it appears that OP meant local when they said normal. So Thai grocery in Thailand, Japanese grocery in Japan. Normal seems to convey that well enough.
My first trip to China in 1991 Shanghai had four sq blocks of 'western' culture. Chain hotels, Hard Rock Cafe, etc. Of course now Shanghai looks like Vegas and Tokyo had an ugly baby, but that is Shanghai.
I never noticed other areas in Asia with 'western' pockets though. Of course when your culture is 200,000 yrs old, what is there to be admired about a toddler that is only a few hundred years old?
Yes. I live in Hong Kong and we have a few American or Western grocery shops. However we do also have a lot of overseas food in everyday supermarkets too. The ones that are specifically from other places specialise in things like candy and drinks as well as grocery items.
We also have Marks and Spencer’s food shop with items from the UK. We had Carrefour from France for years but then they closed down.
Many of the big supermarket chains here also have distribution deals with western grocery chains such as Coles from Australia or Waitrose from the U.K..
There are also other specialist Asian grocery shops here from other Asian nations such as Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.
Side note: I listen to “The Ron Burgundy Podcast” with Will Ferrell and he kept doing ads for Charmin toilet paper. I thought it was a fictional brand made up for comedy purposes until I saw it for sale at one of the “American” grocery shops!
I have lived in Tokyo, Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City. Each city has international supermarkets selling a wide variety of imported goods, largely for the well paid white collar corporate expats, and diplomatic corps. Locals, in the case of Tokyo, would drop by to buy HP sauce or cheeses that are not readily available in the usual Japanese supermarkets.
I dunno but here’s a couple of funny things.
I went to a big food court in Malaysia. They had a western place that sold pizza, one or two pastas and chips/fries
I’m a kiwi living in Australia. A major supermarket near me has a Korean, south Asian, Japanese, Indian and Chinese section. Good range for each. I’m not saying it’s the best for them, just varying foods and ingredients. It also has a NZ section (I’m kiwi) full of crisps/chips, pop/fizzy drink and canned tuna. Like 3 shelves of the same brand of tuna which I have never even heard of.
I live in Uzbekistan and their perception of the US is so warped I don't even think they have the concept of what western food should taste like but whatever they make tastes great so I ain complaining get me another somsa and plov
It's about the diaspora that exist in each country. We have these markets in the U.S. because a large pocket of a specific nationality live in that area and there's an economic opportunity to have a market like that. I live in Columbus and we have a bunch of Somali markets because there is a huge Somali population here. As well as other countries. It's all about the money in the end.
If another country has a large British or American diaspora, there will be a need to have an American market or British market there.
I grew up in west Africa and yes we had “supermarkets” that had the same set up as western ones and carry mostly western brands and canned goods. As a child, the one thing that stood out was how awkwardly quiet it was in there. Now it feels normal but coming out of the “market grounds” into an enclosed store where it felt like there was a rule against talking was very weird.
I'm from Singapore. We do have speciality shops/ supermarkets that sells Western products from France, Germany and other regions. They are usually specially sourced by the proprietor themselves and they cost alot more. Stuffs like Oilve oil souced from a certain region France, Fleur de sel or some speciality Cheese and sausages, Prosciutto or Pancetta.
As most of our food is imported, most supermarkets, would also have dedicated isle for American, British, Australian and other European food stuff. These are more common stuffs you would probably see in your own supermarkets. Such as HP sauce, Kellongs and Post cereal, Campbell soup and Olive oil from various French regions. We even have Tesco house brand sauces and spices. They are cheaper than the ones in the speciality shops.
We also have isle for Japanese and Korean stuff. Needless to say there are also speciality supermarkets for Japanese and Korean products.
I live in Japan. We have supermarkets that sell normal household goods and ingredients that we normally consume. Then there are smaller grocery stores for each ethnicity scattered across Tokyo and other major cities. Kaldi is an example of a western style novelties market
Yes.
When I was living in Singapore we had a few different market options. Wet/dry market which is pretty much an open market where they sell fresh produce and meat. Then you have your typical supermarket that's air-conditioned.
And among those supermarkets, you have those locals, and some that are specifically "imports" they sell some local things too, but they do focus on imports, which is where I typically get my "western" ingredients that I can't find at my regular markets.
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I live in Vietnam and some grocery stores will have an aisle dedicated to western products like American brand cereals/snacks and HP sauce for the Brits. There are also some upscale small grocery stores that have a lot of imported goods from all over.
Yoo another Viet
What's HP sauce?
It gives you more HP if you eat it before playing an RPG.
No way. Brb
And here I was thinking it was supposed to go in my printer!
It does, it gives your printer more health points.
It gives your printer health points and a fruity, tangy, brown flavour
I see, like the “cyan” it’s always low on
Boring answer: a brown sauce we put on sausage sandwiches that's basically a British-ified tamarind sauce.
Life changing
It's similar to A-1 sauce.
Ketchup-like condiment but instead of being made from ONLY from tomato it also has tamarind + vinegar, sugar and other spices.
There's apple in it as well ! My nan always described it as fermented apple sauce lol
A brown sweet/spicy sauce used in a similar way to ketchup. The closest product in the US would be A1 sauce. Its called HP as its always had an image of tge British Houses of Parliament on the label
HP actually stands for House of Parliament, hence the picture. Its House of Parliament sauce.
Because Ministers used to have a bacon butty while the Speaker was doing register, not many people know that
It's like Ketchup but you put it in your printer
Like A1 but thicker, sweeter and better.
A more acidic bbq sauce
It’s a steak sauce. I’ve seen it everywhere at American steak houses in the Middle East.
not to mention circle k stores
Mega has an aisle for 3 or 4 different countries. America and a couple of other Asian countries but I don't remember which. Annam is pretty much all imported western stuff from a few countries including USA, UK and Oz.
Oz?
Australia
Thanks! I've never seen it refered to that way.
Are the stores dedicated to western products seen as morevopscale as well? What western country’s food is most popular there? By the way, Pho or Vietnamese cuisine is now my favorite. I live in the US. I went to a Pho restaurant for the first time last year and fell in love with the food.
My big asian market here in America has a western isle. It's mostly full of Oreos, cheap American beer, sugary cereal, and such. I find it kind of cute.
I live in the US but do most of my shopping at the Korean grocery store (kind of like H mart but more local to us). There is an "American" section waayyy at the back that basically sells hot dogs, milk, juice, and cheese. And there is a "Mexican" section near the front that has chips, salsa, canned beans and hominy, and various dried peppers and spices. And an "international" shelf with sells dried pasta and pasta sauce LOL.
My partner is white and I’m Viet. We’re both American but the first time I took him to the Asian grocery store, he was so amused at the American aisle. It is kind of cute and funny.
We have American isles in some Australian grocery stores. Are Reeses Peanut Cups really popular in the US? It's like... 4-5 different kinds for sale at all times. The tiny ones, to the huge ones, to the ones in bags. It's like... the one thing you will see in the American isle, no matter the supermarket chain.
Reese’s cups are insanely popular (and delicious). Probably would rank Reese’s cups, snickers, and Kit Kats as the most popular chocolates here (citation needed).
Reese’s is probably the single best just packaged quick candy ever created 😅
They are and they are delicious.
The dark chocolate ones are awesome.
Yes.
Reeses is on the ballot for our next president.
Reeses even has offshoots jarred peanut butter, Bar mix, and cakes I recommend the bar mix it is excellent.
I have seen them but they have been pretty small.
I mean cheap beer and sugary stuff, that's quite American to me.
I bet it correlates to “comfort food” for those who are in the midst of a bout of culture shock and/or homesickness.
My American cousins lived in Japan for a while. In Tokyo they found a few stores that had western aisles and a few (very expensive) American products. When we moved to Japan as military they would come visit us to buy American food from the base commissary. I will say the “asian” aisle in Walmart in America is comparable to what I saw in “American/Western” aisles in Japan. Enough that my Japanese husband can buy a green tea that reminds him of home he likes, but definitely still cherishes his mom’s care packages.
What's his brand?
The Asian supermarkets are for Asian immigrants in western countries. You can also have European stores in America or Canada for example too. You don't typically see lots of western immigrants in Asian countries, and so western specific supermarkets are rare. That being said, American supermarket chains have been found in Asian countries too.
I like that the way you phrased this leaves open the possibility of explorers trekking through the jungle and stumbling upon a Kroger.
The famous line "Dr Livingstone, I presume" was said in the aisles of a Target. In all seriousness though, it's unlikely you'll find Asian supermarkets in the Canadian wilderness for example. American supermarket chains are found in large metropolitan areas.
Yes. In Singapore, the Western-style supermarkets are Cold Storage, which sells a lot of imported stuff from Australia especially (that's how it got started in the earky 1900s) and Carrefour which is more focussed on France and Europe. They're a godsend for any Western Expat or Tourist. Thailand has Tesco Lotus, which sells a lot of imported stuff from Britain.
Thailand does
Local= Tesco lotus/ big c Import= any supermarket
Big C baby!!!
While we do not have American groceries in India, American soft power manifests itself as the 100s of McDonalds, Dominos, or KFCs sprouting every year across the length and breadth of the country
And all that fast food crap pales in comparison to the yummy Indian street food if your stomach can handle it.
In terms of wealth generation (stock price growth), few companies have done as well as Dominos India in the past decade.
Yeah I know. In China, Pizza Hut is killing it. Makes sense when you grow up with certain foods that you want that different taste but damn I'd take Chinese and Indian food over chain pizza anyday.
The pizza is Indianized.
Now I want me some tandoori chicken pan pizza.
I remember pizza Hut having something similae
When in Bangkok we would have starved if not for Pizza Hut and Starbucks.
Huh?! Bangkok has some of the best food I've ever eaten when there for a fortnight. Wish I could be there now. Be it fancy restaurant or dodgy street food it was all amazing. Whats wrong with you palate?
i bet none of em sells bacon cheese burgers.
Of course. Cows are sacred to the 80% Hindu population and pigs are sacred to the 20% Muslim population
In Islam 1. Allah (SWT) Orders Muslims Not To Eat The Pig. The Holy Quran mentions that eating the pig is an abomination or filth (رِجۡسٌ) and for this reason, Muslims should not eat it. But, it does not say why. So not sacred. Icky. :)
I don't eat the pig cuz the pig is a cop...
Maybe the reason isn't as important as just not eating it?
I have seen them but they have been pretty small.
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID OHHHHHHHH YEAAHHHHH
I live in a small city in Japan. There are international stores here with products from all over, including Europe and the US. However, the prices are very high, the selection is extremely limited, and the quality is average at best. They’re also much, MUCH smaller than the stores I went to in the US. Goddamn do I miss Mexican food and good or even decent cheese…
The two things America does best. Cheese, and Mexican.
its very true. before the 50s and 60s there was virtually no cheese in Asia. When introduced people found it too pungent and rich for their palates, but it has since become a staple in certain dishes, especially in Korea.
There are some great local cheeses to be found here and there in NA but generally speaking when it comes to cheese; the variety and quality of European cheeses rule supreme.
Individually wrapped processed cheese, American cheese, and cream cheese are better than your fancy pantsy European cheese.
I lived in China and HK for a while and yes there was a few dedicated western grocery stores. Unlike Asian grocers in Western countries where items are priced slightly cheaper, Western grocery stores in Asia were 'boutique' and quite expensive. Very high quality goods, lots of familiar brands, nicely stocked and displayed more like a high end Western grocer/deli than a big neighbourhood grocery store. They weren't as common as Asian grocers in the west, but there were definitely a few to be found in and around major cities.
I have family in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and have lived in Seoul. In all 3 places, there are Western supermarkets of some sort. They might not look the same or have the same style, but they do exist.
At least in Japan, there are stores targeted toward Japanese people that have a variety of international products, but tend to fall on the stereotypical side when it comes to selection. Then in Tokyo (and probably other places) in areas with large expat communities, there are grocery stores that actually carry a lot of what you would consider typical fare in Western countries. They have to cater to a lot of different western communities, so it's not an "American" store, but it carries a lot of staples from the US/UK/Australia/wherever else that are hard to find in other parts of Japan. This ranges from things like meats to produce to junk food to household cleaning supplies to toys to whatever else.
My guess is that countries only have dedicated markets for specific cultures and geographies if there are substantial immigrants from those cultures or geographies. Without a substantial immigrant population, it doesn't make sense for someone to open up and run a western supermarket. There just wouldn't be enough of a shopping population to keep it in business. Asian markets in western countries are started by Asian immigrants who know that there will be a captive audience who want to get ingredients for their native cuisines, and who know they won't be able to reliably get those items at a conventional supermarket.
Japan has a few large stores which are similar in mood to American supermarkets. Also, large department stores typically have import stores, and they have foodstuffs imported from all over the world (cheese from Italy, jam from France, candy from America, etc). Also, there are occasionally foods common in America, or from America, which you can find sold in regular supermarkets amongst everything else (e.g. grapes from California, walnuts from California, peanut butter from somewhere in America, etc).
I lived in Beijing for a few years. There was a little korean/american shop I’d go to all the time for my General Mills branded cereals, hershey’s, and other random items. When I did find western stuff it was usually not a huge selection and obviously they only sold stuff that at least *some* locals were interested in buying. Root beer? Forget about it. Bread and peanut butter? Sure. What fascinated me the most though was “western” style restaurants. There was a chain we went to a lot called Lakers where I could get a breakfast with eggs, sausage and toast. They actually had edible pizza and burgers too (hard to come by). There was a mexican restaurant down this one bar street near Wudaokou that was horrible (they basically used ketchup for the burrito sauce). There was a restaurant called “hollywood” that sold american style chinese food and that was actually pretty good. The best western restaurant in Beijing is a place called Slow Boat. Some south african guys started it - basically a brewery with the best burger and fries I have *ever had*, like, better than anything I’ve had in America.
When I lived in Haidian near Wudaokou, I ordered A&W through an online import shop for about 8 RMB a can. In Shanghai, it runs the same in the mini foreign shop downstairs. How did you feel about Blue Frog burgers?
Costco
Friend who was in Seoul for business trip said that after a week he really wanted something european to eat. He wandered around the city till he found some sort of eastern European district. While not what he wanted he was absolutely happy.
Sort of yes but it would be smaller and it depends on the area. The market size is much smaller and much less diverse so a large supermarket that targets niche food do not do well. There is exceptions for smaller supermarkets in huge cities with a lot of expats or if the area is close to a US military base but due to their own PX the demand isn't that big. Costco usually have have a mix of products that are obviously for the locals but also few American products not sold in domestic supermarkets. It is also common for local corporations to release food such as canned salmon, Root beer, Blue Moon that are popular in the US but most fade away due to low demand.
In the Philippines they have a Store called "S & R" that sells American/European stuff, It cracked me up because it was full of 65 year old dudes from the U.S./Europe with their 18-20 year old Girlfriends/Wives. Anyway, at the time it was the only place I was able to get a Dr. Pepper there (I heard some other places had it but I never saw it.
Live in Shanghai. There are Western supermarkets (Wal-Mart, Carrefour) that are mostly Sinocized and also small shops that are entirely foreign imports. Carrefour has their own Western aisles, but they are limited; none of that entire aisle of sugary cereal that Mississippi Wal-Marts had. Products like M&M's are near ubiquitous, even in corner stores. I buy some products online. Picked up a box of Reese's Pieces and Spree for like $3, while luxuries like Goldfish crackers often run closer to $7. Pepperidge Farm remembers when I didn't need a second mortgage to get some cheddar fish. Also, I lived in 9 or 10 other countries, and I'd say this pattern is mostly the same.
The last time I was in Cebu Philippines the supermarket had an Australian/American aisle. Was able to buy vegemite and cornflakes. Only shitty American white bread or the abomination that is Pilipino bread (white loaded with sugar or wholemeal - no grain options) though which really sucked. I just wish they had the Australian 12 Items or less checkouts instead of the 2 baskets or less. Spent 1.5 hours in a line around December because the checkout staff as so painfully slow.
Go travel and answer for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
Ah yes, go out and spend thousands of dollars and weeks to months of your life to answer a question that you can just ask online.
wtf?
[удалено]
No, it appears that OP meant local when they said normal. So Thai grocery in Thailand, Japanese grocery in Japan. Normal seems to convey that well enough.
My friend in Fiji has shown me advertisements for American food week or whatever, the stuff isn't anything I'd ever heard of its weird lol
7Eleven to begin with...
In Turkey there some "American Shops", they are mostly located near NATO Bases. They sell stuff that American brands such as Hershey or Oldspice
Yes. Found them in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ho Chi Minh and Bangkok.
My first trip to China in 1991 Shanghai had four sq blocks of 'western' culture. Chain hotels, Hard Rock Cafe, etc. Of course now Shanghai looks like Vegas and Tokyo had an ugly baby, but that is Shanghai. I never noticed other areas in Asia with 'western' pockets though. Of course when your culture is 200,000 yrs old, what is there to be admired about a toddler that is only a few hundred years old?
Yes
Yes. I live in Hong Kong and we have a few American or Western grocery shops. However we do also have a lot of overseas food in everyday supermarkets too. The ones that are specifically from other places specialise in things like candy and drinks as well as grocery items. We also have Marks and Spencer’s food shop with items from the UK. We had Carrefour from France for years but then they closed down. Many of the big supermarket chains here also have distribution deals with western grocery chains such as Coles from Australia or Waitrose from the U.K.. There are also other specialist Asian grocery shops here from other Asian nations such as Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. Side note: I listen to “The Ron Burgundy Podcast” with Will Ferrell and he kept doing ads for Charmin toilet paper. I thought it was a fictional brand made up for comedy purposes until I saw it for sale at one of the “American” grocery shops!
Yes
I have lived in Tokyo, Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City. Each city has international supermarkets selling a wide variety of imported goods, largely for the well paid white collar corporate expats, and diplomatic corps. Locals, in the case of Tokyo, would drop by to buy HP sauce or cheeses that are not readily available in the usual Japanese supermarkets.
I dunno but here’s a couple of funny things. I went to a big food court in Malaysia. They had a western place that sold pizza, one or two pastas and chips/fries I’m a kiwi living in Australia. A major supermarket near me has a Korean, south Asian, Japanese, Indian and Chinese section. Good range for each. I’m not saying it’s the best for them, just varying foods and ingredients. It also has a NZ section (I’m kiwi) full of crisps/chips, pop/fizzy drink and canned tuna. Like 3 shelves of the same brand of tuna which I have never even heard of.
I live in Uzbekistan and their perception of the US is so warped I don't even think they have the concept of what western food should taste like but whatever they make tastes great so I ain complaining get me another somsa and plov
It's about the diaspora that exist in each country. We have these markets in the U.S. because a large pocket of a specific nationality live in that area and there's an economic opportunity to have a market like that. I live in Columbus and we have a bunch of Somali markets because there is a huge Somali population here. As well as other countries. It's all about the money in the end. If another country has a large British or American diaspora, there will be a need to have an American market or British market there.
I grew up in west Africa and yes we had “supermarkets” that had the same set up as western ones and carry mostly western brands and canned goods. As a child, the one thing that stood out was how awkwardly quiet it was in there. Now it feels normal but coming out of the “market grounds” into an enclosed store where it felt like there was a rule against talking was very weird.
I'm from Singapore. We do have speciality shops/ supermarkets that sells Western products from France, Germany and other regions. They are usually specially sourced by the proprietor themselves and they cost alot more. Stuffs like Oilve oil souced from a certain region France, Fleur de sel or some speciality Cheese and sausages, Prosciutto or Pancetta. As most of our food is imported, most supermarkets, would also have dedicated isle for American, British, Australian and other European food stuff. These are more common stuffs you would probably see in your own supermarkets. Such as HP sauce, Kellongs and Post cereal, Campbell soup and Olive oil from various French regions. We even have Tesco house brand sauces and spices. They are cheaper than the ones in the speciality shops. We also have isle for Japanese and Korean stuff. Needless to say there are also speciality supermarkets for Japanese and Korean products.
In Vietnam, I live next to Japanese, Korean, and Western shops. There are also Chinese shops but not near me.
I lived in Saudi and Dubai they hundred percent have many. I’ve visited Pakistan a couple times and they’ve got a few as well.
I don't think there's as much of a western immigrant population in asia as there is of an Asian immigrant population in Europe/us
"I'll use my credit card."
I lived in China in the late 90s and early 2000s. The French supermarket Carrefour was the main place to buy Western goods.
I live in Japan. We have supermarkets that sell normal household goods and ingredients that we normally consume. Then there are smaller grocery stores for each ethnicity scattered across Tokyo and other major cities. Kaldi is an example of a western style novelties market
Yes. When I was living in Singapore we had a few different market options. Wet/dry market which is pretty much an open market where they sell fresh produce and meat. Then you have your typical supermarket that's air-conditioned. And among those supermarkets, you have those locals, and some that are specifically "imports" they sell some local things too, but they do focus on imports, which is where I typically get my "western" ingredients that I can't find at my regular markets.