Supermarket Chains are Bringing Fresh Produce and Service to Coastal Clients.

Supermarkets and fast food chains are following the rhythm of Costa Rica real estate growth and heading to the country’s beaches. The Subway sandwich chain, Auto Mercado and Wal-Mart have successfully opened branches in popular strategic spots along the coast of Puntarenas and in Guanacaste. Wal-Mart is the owner of the Hipermás, Palí, Más x Menos and Maxi Bodega supermarkets, and the top supermarket chain in all of Central America.

Playa Herradura features an Auto Mercado in Plaza Herradura, one of the flashiest and most modern in design. With Los Sueños only up the road together with the various other condos that have popped up over the last couple of years, this supermarket doesn’t need to worry about lack of business. A Subway restaurant was also established there, and it seems that so far it has been doing very well on the coastlines of the country.

Jaco has a Subway too in the center of town, and a Mas x Menos supermarket opened its doors many years ago there in the middle of the town; in fact it is probably one of the first supermarkets to establish itself on the coast. Mega Super followed, as well as a huge Maxi Bodega, where you can find anything and everything all for a good price, like a smaller version of Price Mart.

Playas del Coco, in Guanacaste, has its Subway restaurant too that is so far very popular and always full. In touristy areas where eating out is usually expensive, it is good to have a place to go to eat at an affordable price, and where the food is still of good quality and healthy. The town just inaugurated its brand new Auto Mercado last week and it seems that the local residents are very happy about that, as the alternative had been small pulperias or corner stores, locally owned, with limited supplies.

Tamarindo also has an Auto Mercado, and it is doing well, with sales exceeding expectations according to the management. It is felt that with the massive growth seen in Tamarindo and in the whole area of the Canton of Santa Cruz, the next step was to open supermarkets that suit the needs of the local clientele, which now includes a growing number of foreigners as well as Costa Ricans; people who have certain tastes and expectations as far as food and supermarkets are concerned. A good variety and an excellent quality is what Auto Mercado is used to offering to its customers in San Jose, and it doesn’t fail to satisfy its customers in Guanacaste and Puntarenas.

Now that real estate in Costa Rica is booming, foreign clients aren’t just tourists, but people who are retiring or starting a new life in this country. It only makes sense that supermarkets and shops should move to the coast as well. These people are not of the kind that will want to eat out constantly, they live there, they are at home and need a good variety of supermarkets where they can find what they need. It is sometimes difficult to believe the speed at which these places are growing, but it is a reality, and a growing population means a growing need for quality products and services.

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Filed under: Business on August 18th, 2008