Job Discussion Forums

Win Some Lose Some · Joined: 06 Sep 2011 Posts: 64

Just wondering what kind of places exist that foreigners who like to be able to read food ingredient labels, buy organic, find good cheese (but obviously no wine) and such go to in the major cities of the magic kingdom.

I guess it's pretty easy to find fresh coconuts though. I like fresh coconuts quite a lot.

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

The major "supermarket" chains like Panda and Carrefour carry some American products, so you'll see the ingredients, the calorie labels, etc. Unfortunately, the Saudis slap their own label in Arabic on the product, and it often covers that information on the product label--sometimes even the cooking instructions! Shocked

MEB

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Organic fruits and veggies are available. You might not find everything on your shopping list at just one store. Also, you'll see products under particular brand names at one supermarket, while another store may be the only place to get the same items but in your preferred brands.

2buckets · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 515 Location: Middle East

Speaking of labels, I remember reading prep. instruction labels and every time pork was mentioned as an ingredient to add, the word "pork" was blacked out. Those mutawein must have a lot of time on their hands to go thru thousands of products and do this by hand, or there sure are a lot of them.

How productive!

Mysterious · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 170

I've done my fair bit of research... but only in riyadh. What areas are you looking at?

Riyadh actually has an ORGANIC shop. It store only organic things.. fresh, pantry, cosmetics, etc. It's called 'BIO BEST live organic'. I don't know much about the location.. all I know is that it's just around the corner from the Riyadh famous kingdom tower...

Hope that helps.

Mysterious · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 170

I've done my fair bit of research... but only in riyadh. What areas are you looking at?

Riyadh actually has an ORGANIC shop. It store only organic things.. fresh, pantry, cosmetics, etc. It's called 'BIO BEST live organic'. I don't know much about the location.. all I know is that it's just around the corner from the Riyadh famous kingdom tower...

Hope that helps.

zooey · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 35 Location: Riyadh

TAMIMI supermarket, which has many branches in Riyadh, has decent organic veg (as does Carrefour, at a high price, and very tired-looking stuff it is too). Tamimi also has many American products, including cereals, baking goods, dried fruit, all kinds of exotica. It used to be overpriced, but now the prices seem to have levelled out, and it also has regular valuable special offers.
I recently bought 5x 24biscuit packs of Weetabix (grandchildren's addiction) on special offer of 10sr. went back the next week and they were 7 SR, bought 10, went back next week they were 5sr, so managed to get a few more to fill up the larder. Yes they were soon to reach the expiry date, but we can probably manage to eat them before that, and if not... Wink

diodeone · Joined: 30 Sep 2011 Posts: 28

It's Scary! · Joined: 17 Apr 2011 Posts: 823

Captain_Fil · Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 2:41 pm Post subject:

Shopping for food in Saudi...

...it's scary!

Shocked

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:23 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

No, it's not - often, it's the major "social event" of the week. Who knows - there might be a new vegetable?

But the taxi ride to and from the store probably will be. Very Happy

Regards,
John

zooey · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 35 Location: Riyadh

Unfortunately Tamimi is allied somehow with Waitrose, the most overpriced of the British supermarket chains (i think), so the British products are not as attractive as the American ones. They do have good breads and deli products though, as well as occasional surprisingly cheap prices on fruit/veg. On many occasions, i've found it beneficial to shop selectively, (Tamimi and Carrefour) which is OK if you have the time and inclination to spend on what should be a simple task of food-gathering - don't forget that "shopping" is our national pastime.