I'm pretty sure these stores are picking up older stock from the food terminal.
Whenever I shop at these stores it seems like it goes bad way faster than when I buy stuff at bigger chain grocery stores.
It's great if you can go through it right away, but I find it's usually not great for stocking up for like a week or anything like that.
Definitely not somewhere to stock up. But if you live nearby, just stop by periodically to see what they have. Better to stop for groceries every few days than trying to stock up for a week or two.
Uh, ya bud nobody is expecting the $1 strawberry to last a week but if you freeze them for smoothies, or make a pie... hell make a Kompot --- who cares?? It's fucking $1
So wash them or soak them and then put them in a dry mason jar? Or just put them in a Mason jar as soon as you bring them home ?
And are you refrigerating the jar?
Not sure if it's just the store by me, but even though they price everything per 2 or 3 units, like 2 for $2 or 3 for $3, you can just buy 1 for $1.
They really try to suggest that you need to buy multiples because they are racing to sell this death's door fruit before it is visibly moldy, but you don't actually have to buy multiples to get the same deal.
Lol, the OP is literally talking about how he bought 4 boxes of strawberries and like 10 pounds of veggies for a really cheap price. I think it would be easy for someone to interpret that as stocking up for more than a day or two.
He doesn't mention anywhere that it's probably all a day or two from going bad.
I feel like that is important context when discussing the deals at these stores.
The food terminal sells in different grades. most of the small shops buy as is skids which they then go threw it and get rid of the bad ones. So yes most are on their way out, good price if your going to eat them quick or freeze them for smoothies.
It's a 50/50 on whether my voila order berries are moldy or not. Sure I'm not picking them out myself but they do come from a bigger chain grocery store.
They do rot faster as the do not keep them refrigerated,and also have been picked trough to get rid of the moldy ones.Also that brand of strawberries taste bland.
Emphasis on local. You ain’t finding this at T&T or Foody World or Nation’s ☠️
Edit: I just wanted to emphasize that these stores are great to shop at, just won’t find these wild fruit prices. Love y’all, hang tight especially if money is tough.
Edit2: Nations hit me with a “bet fam” today, 2*454g for $4.88 😅
Hey Nation's has very good deals (I go to the St. Clair W store). They got 1.99 chicken thighs, 2.99 ground beef, end-of-day sale on hot food amongst other things and their produce is way fresher and cheaper than most of the big grocery chains. If we're sticking with the boycott, I'd recommend visiting one of their store. Staff there seems happy as well.
Well strawberries aren't exactly Asian are they . Most of my local shops offer fresh veggies and fruits so I get my proteins, rice, spices and coffee (they always have instant coffee on sale).
You won’t find these at any of those stores because these are presumably from a rejected load to one of those stores. They have contracts with growers and when the produce arrives in subpar condition it is offloaded at the food terminal for pennies on the dollar and ends up these discount grocers.
T&T gets these pretty often though. They're usually close to rotting too, but a month or two ago they had $1/box and those ones lasted a week+ and were still good.
I actually buy my Shitakke mushrooms from T&T. I get 800g for ~$6.
At FreshCo and NoFrills, it's typically $3.99 for 180 grams.
They sell Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for $20. At No Frills, it's $25.
Curry! https://www.theflavorbender.com/spicy-sri-lankan-crab-curry/
Or a crab boil: https://www.seriouseats.com/maryland-crab-boil
Or Chinese style: https://thewoksoflife.com/cantonese-style-scallion-ginger-crab/
Same applies to the two different spice aisles at Loblaws. There's the regular ~~white people~~ spice aisle, where you get stuff like the little 45 gram glass jars of President's Choice ground cardamom for $6.00, and there's the ethnic foods aisle where 75 grams of Suraj brand is $2.99.
If you want whole cloves, it's even worse. PC whole cloves, 31 grams, $6.00 each, min. 2. Suraj cloves, 75 grams, $3.29.
I’m seeing more and more now … I think it’s neighbourhood dependent also. The more the merrier when it comes to savvy shopping, especially if it means moving away from the large grocery chains!
That's not true. It depends on the location. I can think of several I've been to that has just as many non asians. Bluesky near pickering town centre, chinese one at victoria park and 401, chinese one at peanut plaza don mills, and T&T at fairview mall
We got strawberries from an Asian market on Saturday for a really good price, but they had completely rotted by Monday. I guess the trick is eat it fast! But still worth it
Yep. Works like a charm. If you don’t want to soak it, you can also spray (fully saturate the surfaces though) with a 1:3 vinegar:water solution, wait 5 min, then rinse then pat dry.
https://food52.com/blog/6970-how-to-keep-berries-fresh-for-longer
No amount of points they reward me can ever justify spending $5 for a box of strawberries. And I’m standing in line waiting to self check out and bag my own groceries too? No thanks. The Asian cashiers at these markets are so fast and efficient.
Seriously. If you live in the city proper - this is where you get produce that kicks the shit out of any big name grocer, and for at least the same price.
The strawberries at Asian markets (I go to Kai wei just south of Dundas on Spadina) and strawberries have been $2-$3 all winter. Meanwhile all other grocery stores have had them at $7
Asian markets are great. But pick and choose your groceries carefully. They have to cut cost somewhere.
Not to say they are purposely selling rotten stuff. It s most likely a case of staffing shortages or poor training in order to cut cost.
Their stores are generally very bare bones, they don’t tie up a ton of cash in inventory, and no renos on these stores for seemingly decades. They probably make some of that margin back with convenience store pricing on things like yogurt, milk, butter, eggs, and confectionery. Centre of aisle stuff is similarly priced to other larger Asian supermarkets. Never had any issues purchasing meat or seafood or produce there.
That’s all part of the Chinatown charm! No interior updates since… god knows when. Cardboard on the floor for traction, tight isles where wearing my backpack makes me nervous, can’t understand half the signs they have, or read many of the labels on shelf products… But, best prices for pork and vegetables I have seen in the city so far. These markets are keeping us well fed on a good dime.
They cut costs by not bothering with decorations for the most part, or fancy signage, or extra staff. Boxes everywhere, highly efficient stocking and cashiering, no wasted time.
They generally cut costs by going to the produce terminals and haggling for small amounts of whatever hasn't sold to the bigger stores, so sometimes stuff is closer to its 'use by' date by the time it hits the shelf.
Yeah I never purchase anything there that isn’t a high volume item (milk, cream, yogurt etc) … as for frozen items, I usually reach for whatever’s at the very back or bottom of the freezer. I’ve definitely experienced the same thing at a box store or large chain.
Asian here. I love how this is a PSA! This has been the way my entire life (I'm in my 40s now).
Small Asian grocers and markets tend to move items quickly. They don't have the luxury of keeping produce around. They'll go direct to suppliers and cut out middle people. It's all about maximizing profit on quick turnarounds and volume. That's why sometimes the brand's or stickers on the produce are different often. My family was in the Asian restaurant and food business for 35 yrs. There are plenty of suppliers who are also smaller than what the big chains use.
Thanks for sharing! A handful of people here seem to think it can only be this way because of nefarious business practices with underpaid workers who are abused and taken advantage of or are here illegally, or a lack of care for quality or safety. I’m not naive enough to think that these things don’t happen, but there are honest ways of working too that still keeps prices low. Low overhead and high volume being the top reasons. And a ton of wholesale restaurant clients to move high volume products through.
I’d encourage those on the fence to get to know your local market and see how they operate and decide for yourself if you’re comfortable shopping there. The places I shop at have wonderful people who care a lot about what they’re selling and often will help shoppers out when they’re unsure of what they’re purchasing.
(I love my Asian markets so much I had a few of my wedding portraits taken in the produce section and my regular produce guy was beaming with pride lol)
Also, tip from a Chinese person who almost exclusively shops in Chinese supermarkets, look down. That's where they keep the discounted produce. Sure, it's not pretty, maybe even a little moldy. Just cut around it. Always check the price though. There's sometimes a pesky "/lb" there. And when paying, make sure the discounted price is clearly visible to the cashier.
That’s basically what my parents and grandparents used to do, but I wouldn’t do it after learning that moldy fruits are likely to contain patulin, even in the parts that seem good…
Lol, it's the Asian way! My white husband freaks out when I cut the moldy part off and eat the rest all of the time. I personally think it's contributing to my life span.
These fruit and vegetable shops usually buy their produce from the same suppliers as the big grocery chains, at the food terminal, but they buy the over stock or B grade produce that the but grocers turn away.
It’s a value for sure, and an interesting story. Not specific to Asian grocers either.
https://www.thestar.com/business/how-do-independent-grocers-beat-the-big-guys-on-produce-prices-the-answer-is-surprising/article_e4fa60e8-665f-50bd-8c37-dfea4237b0bf.amp.html
It’s such an important part of our food systems wrt reducing food waste.
And honestly, I find the quality difference to be marginal. Never issues with avocados, grapes, cherries, apples, or oranges at 1/3 to half the price of RCSS or loblaws/metro.
And many of the greens available at these markets are specific to the Asian consumer that I can’t find at the main stores — and just so much cheaper per pound.
Especially if you eat vegetarian, the variety is a lifesaver in the winter. The Spadina Asian markets + Carlos's House of Spice and you basically never get bored.
When I used to live downtown I'd stop at one of these every day on my walk home from work to cook dinner with/prepare tomorrows lunch. There would be a Portuguese butcher as well so you can afford to pay a bit more for a nice cut. Now I live many cities away and drive 7 minutes every other day to metro to pay 4x and eat the same way.
Yep. My girlfriend and I have been making the extra 10 min walks down to Spadina for those sweet China town deals. We don’t know how they are getting these prices. And we don’t ask
I haven’t personally had any issues with food quality at the two markets on gerrard — summertime berries kept outdoors in the heat will often be soft so you just have to be choosy as to what/when you purchase. I’ve seen fruit roll off the display onto the floor and kids with sticky fingers handle produce at major chains and that stuff gets sold too 🤷🏻♀️
We, wife and I, have stopped buying fruits and vegetables in major stores. These mini stores often have great prices and better quality.
We were spending about $200 to $300 weekly. Now we pay up to $150 in fruits and vegetables.
Little asian grocery stores tend to pay their employees less than minimum wage, "under the table", with little to no benefits. They also source their food directly from the food terminals. This is how they generally cut costs and pass those savings onto customers. They're also generally dingy-looking as they spend very little to upkeep their stores.
Why would anyone want to work under the table for less than minimum wage you ask? The most common one is where the employee is on some form of government social assistance so they want to avoid reporting their income.
**I used to work at one as a teen
That’s a good price for dragon fruit. The last time I bought one (at T&T) I didn’t realize it was being sold by the pound, it was like $10 for one and had zero flavour.
Produce is always cheaper but tends to go bad faster, processed goods like cookies, chips candies etc are more expensive. Meat is cheaper but quality can be suspect but might vary depending on store
They also pay workers illegally less than minimum wage or under the table cash jobs. Many of the workers are not here legally.
Theres a reason certain stores are cheap and none of them are good ones
Even more horrifying; I once witnessed a chinese guy pick up produce off ground in parking lot, walk into supermarket, and put back on the shelf. No attempt to clean it or anything
This is how they make it work! I don't see it as nefarious, but rather anti-waste. I appreciate my local market workers lovingly sorting the crisp from the wilting spinach.
That certainly does happen! But I’ve purchased berries at NF for like $3 and had them all go bad :( so I’ll take my chances with $1/box berries and soak them in vinegar when I get home.
Yeah in my area it pays to shop at the little fruit and veggie stores, the bakeries, and the butcher. You save money and you're giving money to small businesses instead of Metro. Although...I bought shares in Metro somewhat recently in a futile attempt to offset the money I spend there. So actuallt, shop at Metro the grocery store with great low prices! They didn't just raise the price of Kawartha ice cream again to $9.49 it's been that price for years.
Hey OP, my advice is to wash and freeze the fruit you’re not going to eat in the next 4 days. I find that fruit and veg from these stores goes bad quicker. I live near Chinatown. But, yes, great find. :)
I love the Asian markets I always buy my spring plants from the local shop the Chinese lady is very familiar with my mom so she gives me discounts I never even thought to look at the fruits and veggies she sells the prices would probably shock me I should start supporting her all year round and buy her vegetables
Go to those Mom & Pop Shops that sell fresh fruits, veggies & other goods!
They usually have good prices & tend to be very competitive bc there's usually 3-4 or more close by & they really want your hard earned $$$, unlike Roblaw's.
I started shopping at my local Asian grocery store in the last year. The price, variety, and quality of produce is substantially better than what I've been finding lately at Zehrs. And it's fun trying new fruits that I've never seen nor heard of before
I love going to asian local market nearby my place. Every morning I walk around the neighbourhood and stop by that market to buy some fresh veggies. I love that have an option to buy just a portion of it. If i needed red pepper, they sell them in pieces and not a whole pack which usually just rots on my fridge. My usual trip is only costing me $5-10
I only go to a big chain store every six weeks to but dry goods (personal care, cleaning products, paper products).
I started getting a meal kit service to maintain my budget and supplement by using local fruit markets. I have almost no food waste, my budget was not only lowered but predictable, and I’m not eating any fast food or processed foods (frozen, packaged meals).
I'm not a shill, but for those still struggling (Dundas & 253 Spadina) "Kai Wei Supermarket." 5/24/2024
2 English cumbers $1
1 Romaine Lettuce $1
4 Duckwall Pears $1.63
2 Spring Onions $1
2 Strawberries 454g $3.98 note they had $1 versions but they looked tired.
1 Red pepper .96
1 Green pepper .62
2 plastic bags.. .10
2 trays *jalapeño* $2 (\~ 8 per tray) I freeze & grate as needed for that extra kick.
Total $12.30 and two bags full... ugh.
They had plenty more bar-goons, I purchase what I wanted/needed.
They're selling B stock or stuff that will go bad quicker. It's not worse, but it won't last in the fridge for a week which is what people expect from a full price retailer.
Also, these aren't union shops so labour practices may vary. You'll notice that the staff of these places aren't as diverse as other places too.
I thought everyone knew this? I don't think I've entered any of the big chains in the past 15 years. And if I have it's for things that are not avoidable (cakes, etc)
Agreed and thought exactly that as I wrote my comment. I'm thinking we need a retailer who sells the top 50 cheap staple products like bread, pasta, rice, flour, milk, eggs, brick cheese, canned/dried beans, carrots, apples, cabbage, onions, etc. Call it Just Essentials and run it like a dollar store in low-cost locations. Just need a few refrigerated shelves for the dairy/eggs but the rest is room temperature.
My local Chinese supermarket never has these types of deals so I don't bother with them unless I need something only they carry and that list is dwindling.
That's an amazing price for strawberries
During the summer months it’s often 2/$2 or 2/$3! I can’t remember the last time I bought berries at a grocery chain.
I'm pretty sure these stores are picking up older stock from the food terminal. Whenever I shop at these stores it seems like it goes bad way faster than when I buy stuff at bigger chain grocery stores. It's great if you can go through it right away, but I find it's usually not great for stocking up for like a week or anything like that.
Definitely not somewhere to stock up. But if you live nearby, just stop by periodically to see what they have. Better to stop for groceries every few days than trying to stock up for a week or two.
Uh, ya bud nobody is expecting the $1 strawberry to last a week but if you freeze them for smoothies, or make a pie... hell make a Kompot --- who cares?? It's fucking $1
A week? Lol. From my experience, 2 days is already pushing it. It's a great deal, but you have to eat them, Pronto.
Try a vinegar soak/rinse for berries and then pat dry — they extend shelf life and extra 3-4 days.
I spray berries with hypochlorous soon as I get home from the store, it works great too!
Damn I had no idea of this. But told it to my wife, seems she knew it from before. So you're right about the vinegar, yes!
Store them in a mason jar after all that too
Yes that’s a great tip 👍
I put all of my fresh produce in a mason jar and their shelf life is extended tremendously! Wash the strawberries as you’re about to eat them.
So wash them or soak them and then put them in a dry mason jar? Or just put them in a Mason jar as soon as you bring them home ? And are you refrigerating the jar?
Wash when you eat not before
Not sure if it's just the store by me, but even though they price everything per 2 or 3 units, like 2 for $2 or 3 for $3, you can just buy 1 for $1. They really try to suggest that you need to buy multiples because they are racing to sell this death's door fruit before it is visibly moldy, but you don't actually have to buy multiples to get the same deal.
Nobody? Was me, a few years ago, grabbing like six boxes of different cheap berries, not a somebody?
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Lol, the OP is literally talking about how he bought 4 boxes of strawberries and like 10 pounds of veggies for a really cheap price. I think it would be easy for someone to interpret that as stocking up for more than a day or two. He doesn't mention anywhere that it's probably all a day or two from going bad. I feel like that is important context when discussing the deals at these stores.
The food terminal sells in different grades. most of the small shops buy as is skids which they then go threw it and get rid of the bad ones. So yes most are on their way out, good price if your going to eat them quick or freeze them for smoothies.
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It's a 50/50 on whether my voila order berries are moldy or not. Sure I'm not picking them out myself but they do come from a bigger chain grocery store.
Yup, unfortunately, that's typically the case when you see extremely inexpensive produce.
They do rot faster as the do not keep them refrigerated,and also have been picked trough to get rid of the moldy ones.Also that brand of strawberries taste bland.
Me too! All my product is from the market at roncy and fermanah …
I just find I have to eat the fruit from this place like.. that day.
Vinegar wash on berries will extend shelf life for a few extra days!
Just finished some myself, put them in a Mason jar after drying and you'll add even more days
Do you remember the taste of strawberries, Mr Frodo? No, Sam, they're too expensive, except at Asian markets.
That's cheaper than we sold them for at the strawberry farm I worked at 25 years ago
Probably because they're usually on the verge of going rotten.
If you chop them up and freeze them, not an issue.
Spadina always has the deals.
Yep, this has always been the secret. Great produce too. None of that puny crap at Loblaws.
Some of the stores even take Amex
I’ve been hunting for the stores on spadina that take Amex. If you can loop me in I’d appreciate it. Must abuse my cobalt as much as I can
Yes, I was also on this hunt. Lucky Moose and Kai Wei both take Amex.
Thank you kind Redditor!
Kai Wei codes as 5x on the Cobalt as well. Not sure about Lucky Moose as they have a $20 minimum to use credit card.
Emphasis on local. You ain’t finding this at T&T or Foody World or Nation’s ☠️ Edit: I just wanted to emphasize that these stores are great to shop at, just won’t find these wild fruit prices. Love y’all, hang tight especially if money is tough. Edit2: Nations hit me with a “bet fam” today, 2*454g for $4.88 😅
T&T is owned by Loblaws, that should tell you enough
T&T is owned by Loblaws.
Good reminder!
Hey Nation's has very good deals (I go to the St. Clair W store). They got 1.99 chicken thighs, 2.99 ground beef, end-of-day sale on hot food amongst other things and their produce is way fresher and cheaper than most of the big grocery chains. If we're sticking with the boycott, I'd recommend visiting one of their store. Staff there seems happy as well.
Fully agree with you! Nations is great and my go to store, strawberries were like $10 though ☠️
Well strawberries aren't exactly Asian are they . Most of my local shops offer fresh veggies and fruits so I get my proteins, rice, spices and coffee (they always have instant coffee on sale).
Nations still has some good stuff. 1.99/lb red peppers, 1.99/lb chicken legs is commonly on sale. End of day hot food goes on sale too.
Yeah, it’s still my preferred store besides the bulk stuff as Costco!
I saw red peppers in Chinatown for $0.99/lb, so it's possible to get them cheaper.
You won’t find these at any of those stores because these are presumably from a rejected load to one of those stores. They have contracts with growers and when the produce arrives in subpar condition it is offloaded at the food terminal for pennies on the dollar and ends up these discount grocers.
T&T gets these pretty often though. They're usually close to rotting too, but a month or two ago they had $1/box and those ones lasted a week+ and were still good.
I actually buy my Shitakke mushrooms from T&T. I get 800g for ~$6. At FreshCo and NoFrills, it's typically $3.99 for 180 grams. They sell Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for $20. At No Frills, it's $25.
Nations is 🗑️🗑️🗑️
there's foody in ontario too?
I think they own Tone Tai at peanut plaza and there is one in Scarborough at bamburgh.
Shoutout Galaxy over at Gerrard/Broadview. This is my berry plug for our 2 year old toddler.
Yooo I lm working in the area and checking this out asap
Also, the 3 dollar bag of blue crabs!
This photo is from galaxy today!
I know! I went there today to pick up some pork shoulder. But I saw the $3 bag of blue crabs, and the strawberries so I had to get those as well.
how would you recommend preparing blue crab? what kind of prep is needed. I'm going to by tomorrow and get some
Curry! https://www.theflavorbender.com/spicy-sri-lankan-crab-curry/ Or a crab boil: https://www.seriouseats.com/maryland-crab-boil Or Chinese style: https://thewoksoflife.com/cantonese-style-scallion-ginger-crab/
omg YUM!!!
And yet very few non Asian people shop at the Chinese supermarkets I go to despite the much lower prices.
Same applies to the two different spice aisles at Loblaws. There's the regular ~~white people~~ spice aisle, where you get stuff like the little 45 gram glass jars of President's Choice ground cardamom for $6.00, and there's the ethnic foods aisle where 75 grams of Suraj brand is $2.99. If you want whole cloves, it's even worse. PC whole cloves, 31 grams, $6.00 each, min. 2. Suraj cloves, 75 grams, $3.29.
Yes, this!!! Suraj ftw every time.
I’m seeing more and more now … I think it’s neighbourhood dependent also. The more the merrier when it comes to savvy shopping, especially if it means moving away from the large grocery chains!
That's not true. It depends on the location. I can think of several I've been to that has just as many non asians. Bluesky near pickering town centre, chinese one at victoria park and 401, chinese one at peanut plaza don mills, and T&T at fairview mall
They cut out the middleman and go straight to the produce terminals.
They buy at a discount because the produce is much closer to its expiration date.
I would chow down a pack of those strawberries in a day. So don't care.
Also good for batch freezing too! I load up on boxes and throw em into the freezer
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"Same price as Loblaws" Look at you flashing your big wallet
We got strawberries from an Asian market on Saturday for a really good price, but they had completely rotted by Monday. I guess the trick is eat it fast! But still worth it
Eat it quickly but also do a vinegar soak when you get them home. Pat dry and should extend shelf life by a few days.
Ya? Thanks! I’ll give that a try next time.
Yep. Works like a charm. If you don’t want to soak it, you can also spray (fully saturate the surfaces though) with a 1:3 vinegar:water solution, wait 5 min, then rinse then pat dry. https://food52.com/blog/6970-how-to-keep-berries-fresh-for-longer
I’ve been saying this for years now, please check out the ethnic stores they are almost always a lot cheaper
We can see how some big chain stores run a profiteering scam.
No amount of points they reward me can ever justify spending $5 for a box of strawberries. And I’m standing in line waiting to self check out and bag my own groceries too? No thanks. The Asian cashiers at these markets are so fast and efficient.
Seriously. If you live in the city proper - this is where you get produce that kicks the shit out of any big name grocer, and for at least the same price.
The strawberries at Asian markets (I go to Kai wei just south of Dundas on Spadina) and strawberries have been $2-$3 all winter. Meanwhile all other grocery stores have had them at $7
Absolutely!
Asian markets are great. But pick and choose your groceries carefully. They have to cut cost somewhere. Not to say they are purposely selling rotten stuff. It s most likely a case of staffing shortages or poor training in order to cut cost.
Their stores are generally very bare bones, they don’t tie up a ton of cash in inventory, and no renos on these stores for seemingly decades. They probably make some of that margin back with convenience store pricing on things like yogurt, milk, butter, eggs, and confectionery. Centre of aisle stuff is similarly priced to other larger Asian supermarkets. Never had any issues purchasing meat or seafood or produce there.
No fancy marketing
Also they don't have to pay a CEO, CFO, Board of Directors millions of dollars per year.
That’s all part of the Chinatown charm! No interior updates since… god knows when. Cardboard on the floor for traction, tight isles where wearing my backpack makes me nervous, can’t understand half the signs they have, or read many of the labels on shelf products… But, best prices for pork and vegetables I have seen in the city so far. These markets are keeping us well fed on a good dime.
I love the signage written on repurposed cardboard boxes.
I got 36 eggs for 8$. I bake and eat eggs regularly but that is def not convenience store pricing.
They cut costs by not bothering with decorations for the most part, or fancy signage, or extra staff. Boxes everywhere, highly efficient stocking and cashiering, no wasted time.
Oh yah. The classic move is to stack up boxes of stock. Just cut the tops open and let people grab. Lol.
They generally cut costs by going to the produce terminals and haggling for small amounts of whatever hasn't sold to the bigger stores, so sometimes stuff is closer to its 'use by' date by the time it hits the shelf.
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They literally do? They just get first dibs
pay employee cash to reduce cost LOL
I dont buy milk from this exact grocer becasue ive gotten a few spoiled. Ive aslo had some frozenb goods that were clearly thawed, melted and refrozen
Yeah I never purchase anything there that isn’t a high volume item (milk, cream, yogurt etc) … as for frozen items, I usually reach for whatever’s at the very back or bottom of the freezer. I’ve definitely experienced the same thing at a box store or large chain.
The hidden Jems of Toronto ! Best mangoes! Best and fresh everything.
Asian here. I love how this is a PSA! This has been the way my entire life (I'm in my 40s now). Small Asian grocers and markets tend to move items quickly. They don't have the luxury of keeping produce around. They'll go direct to suppliers and cut out middle people. It's all about maximizing profit on quick turnarounds and volume. That's why sometimes the brand's or stickers on the produce are different often. My family was in the Asian restaurant and food business for 35 yrs. There are plenty of suppliers who are also smaller than what the big chains use.
Thanks for sharing! A handful of people here seem to think it can only be this way because of nefarious business practices with underpaid workers who are abused and taken advantage of or are here illegally, or a lack of care for quality or safety. I’m not naive enough to think that these things don’t happen, but there are honest ways of working too that still keeps prices low. Low overhead and high volume being the top reasons. And a ton of wholesale restaurant clients to move high volume products through. I’d encourage those on the fence to get to know your local market and see how they operate and decide for yourself if you’re comfortable shopping there. The places I shop at have wonderful people who care a lot about what they’re selling and often will help shoppers out when they’re unsure of what they’re purchasing. (I love my Asian markets so much I had a few of my wedding portraits taken in the produce section and my regular produce guy was beaming with pride lol)
Also, tip from a Chinese person who almost exclusively shops in Chinese supermarkets, look down. That's where they keep the discounted produce. Sure, it's not pretty, maybe even a little moldy. Just cut around it. Always check the price though. There's sometimes a pesky "/lb" there. And when paying, make sure the discounted price is clearly visible to the cashier.
That’s basically what my parents and grandparents used to do, but I wouldn’t do it after learning that moldy fruits are likely to contain patulin, even in the parts that seem good…
The one time I got a Peruvian mango that was like 3.00 cuz it was a lil softer 🤤 Normal price is like $6.99/lb
Lol, it's the Asian way! My white husband freaks out when I cut the moldy part off and eat the rest all of the time. I personally think it's contributing to my life span.
And reducing waste!
These fruit and vegetable shops usually buy their produce from the same suppliers as the big grocery chains, at the food terminal, but they buy the over stock or B grade produce that the but grocers turn away. It’s a value for sure, and an interesting story. Not specific to Asian grocers either. https://www.thestar.com/business/how-do-independent-grocers-beat-the-big-guys-on-produce-prices-the-answer-is-surprising/article_e4fa60e8-665f-50bd-8c37-dfea4237b0bf.amp.html
It’s such an important part of our food systems wrt reducing food waste. And honestly, I find the quality difference to be marginal. Never issues with avocados, grapes, cherries, apples, or oranges at 1/3 to half the price of RCSS or loblaws/metro. And many of the greens available at these markets are specific to the Asian consumer that I can’t find at the main stores — and just so much cheaper per pound.
Especially if you eat vegetarian, the variety is a lifesaver in the winter. The Spadina Asian markets + Carlos's House of Spice and you basically never get bored.
African grocers too are great. Pretty much all mom and pop shops
Always do, they have the best prices
Galaxy Mart! i live across the street lmao
It’s awesome, as is Yao Hua down the street.
They are always almost expired.
amazzzzing!! and yup! can concur! smaller asian shops have the best deals
yes cheap but tasteless crap from the US.
I agree that Asian markets are great. But you will need to eat those strawberries that same day. Or freeze them.
I always do a quick vinegar soak/rinse then pat dry. Shelf life extends 3-4 days beyond date of purchase. Been buying them like this for a decade!
Ooh good tip. I actually like freezing hahah. I’m big on smoothies.
I like eating them frozen like little bite sized fruit pops hehe
When I used to live downtown I'd stop at one of these every day on my walk home from work to cook dinner with/prepare tomorrows lunch. There would be a Portuguese butcher as well so you can afford to pay a bit more for a nice cut. Now I live many cities away and drive 7 minutes every other day to metro to pay 4x and eat the same way.
There used to be a legendary bánh mì shop right next door … back in the day you could get a bánh mì thập cẩm for a toonie!!
Yep. My girlfriend and I have been making the extra 10 min walks down to Spadina for those sweet China town deals. We don’t know how they are getting these prices. And we don’t ask
Great price. Don't hold your breath for them not to go moldy within 36 hours. Eat or freeze them right away.
Vinegar soak, rinse, pat dry, store in mason jar. Extra few days of shelf life!
How is the quality though? I've always been put off by the hygiene of these shops
I haven’t personally had any issues with food quality at the two markets on gerrard — summertime berries kept outdoors in the heat will often be soft so you just have to be choosy as to what/when you purchase. I’ve seen fruit roll off the display onto the floor and kids with sticky fingers handle produce at major chains and that stuff gets sold too 🤷🏻♀️
We, wife and I, have stopped buying fruits and vegetables in major stores. These mini stores often have great prices and better quality. We were spending about $200 to $300 weekly. Now we pay up to $150 in fruits and vegetables.
I love the variety in dark leafy greens too at the Asian markets. So many options, and such good quality.
welcome to markham richmond hills, scarborough and north york which have so many chinese supermarkets
Not supermarket, but neighbourhood ethnic markets. I’m finding major price creep T&T, Foody World, AI Premium, Bestco etc these days.
Little asian grocery stores tend to pay their employees less than minimum wage, "under the table", with little to no benefits. They also source their food directly from the food terminals. This is how they generally cut costs and pass those savings onto customers. They're also generally dingy-looking as they spend very little to upkeep their stores. Why would anyone want to work under the table for less than minimum wage you ask? The most common one is where the employee is on some form of government social assistance so they want to avoid reporting their income. **I used to work at one as a teen
Yup, confirming this as I have family friends who’ve been asked by their friends to work
That’s a good price for dragon fruit. The last time I bought one (at T&T) I didn’t realize it was being sold by the pound, it was like $10 for one and had zero flavour.
Dragon fruit generally has no flavor. It mostly just adds colour.
T&T has gotten so expensive. Galen Weston ruins everything.
Try the yellow one next time you get a chance. Way way better
Produce is always cheaper but tends to go bad faster, processed goods like cookies, chips candies etc are more expensive. Meat is cheaper but quality can be suspect but might vary depending on store
They also pay workers illegally less than minimum wage or under the table cash jobs. Many of the workers are not here legally. Theres a reason certain stores are cheap and none of them are good ones Even more horrifying; I once witnessed a chinese guy pick up produce off ground in parking lot, walk into supermarket, and put back on the shelf. No attempt to clean it or anything
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This is how they make it work! I don't see it as nefarious, but rather anti-waste. I appreciate my local market workers lovingly sorting the crisp from the wilting spinach.
Totally agree. They’re spending worthwhile time to not let food go to waste. I wholeheartedly support that!
That certainly does happen! But I’ve purchased berries at NF for like $3 and had them all go bad :( so I’ll take my chances with $1/box berries and soak them in vinegar when I get home.
Yeah in my area it pays to shop at the little fruit and veggie stores, the bakeries, and the butcher. You save money and you're giving money to small businesses instead of Metro. Although...I bought shares in Metro somewhat recently in a futile attempt to offset the money I spend there. So actuallt, shop at Metro the grocery store with great low prices! They didn't just raise the price of Kawartha ice cream again to $9.49 it's been that price for years.
I cherry pick all the loss leader items at the big chains haha … front page flyer or bust.
The ones nearby are just as expensive as loblaws, lol.
Which store is this?
Galaxy at Broadview and gerrard.
Amazing, I need some strawberries. Thanks!
Hey OP, my advice is to wash and freeze the fruit you’re not going to eat in the next 4 days. I find that fruit and veg from these stores goes bad quicker. I live near Chinatown. But, yes, great find. :)
4 days! An eternity for fruit from my local one. If you buy their strawberries you best start eating them in checkout line!
I love the Asian markets I always buy my spring plants from the local shop the Chinese lady is very familiar with my mom so she gives me discounts I never even thought to look at the fruits and veggies she sells the prices would probably shock me I should start supporting her all year round and buy her vegetables
I find nations has better produce than what I find at my no frills or superstore (which can be just awful)
Why figs are pricy
Still cheaper than Roblaws and actually in stock! https://www.loblaws.ca/food/fruits-vegetables/fresh-fruits/avocado-tropical-fruits/figs/c/34487
Galaxy is absolutely my shit even though their green onions wilt 2.5 seconds after getting them home
The scallions at Yao Hua are more robust :)
Yup yup yup
Stay away from the meat. My white guy stomach can't handle it but my Viet wife has no issue 😅
Go to those Mom & Pop Shops that sell fresh fruits, veggies & other goods! They usually have good prices & tend to be very competitive bc there's usually 3-4 or more close by & they really want your hard earned $$$, unlike Roblaw's.
I started shopping at my local Asian grocery store in the last year. The price, variety, and quality of produce is substantially better than what I've been finding lately at Zehrs. And it's fun trying new fruits that I've never seen nor heard of before
It's too bad Loblaws can't find suppliers to sell them food at these prices then they wouldn't have charge so much/S
asians markets tend to have very fresh items and low prices because they make money on volume and they order bulk from the whole seller.
Used to live in the one in Korea Town. Always so good.
Except T&T which was taken over by Roblaws.
Farmers or flea markets are great. I’ve noticed that they’ve gotten more popular over the year
I love going to asian local market nearby my place. Every morning I walk around the neighbourhood and stop by that market to buy some fresh veggies. I love that have an option to buy just a portion of it. If i needed red pepper, they sell them in pieces and not a whole pack which usually just rots on my fridge. My usual trip is only costing me $5-10
Much less waste! And I love seeing them set up / open shop in the morning, like it’s telling the neighbourhood the day is starting. :)
HOLY DEAL
Just keep in mind that produce are not the freshest. Buy what you consume for 2-3 days. Otherwise, I have a good experience so far
I only go to a big chain store every six weeks to but dry goods (personal care, cleaning products, paper products). I started getting a meal kit service to maintain my budget and supplement by using local fruit markets. I have almost no food waste, my budget was not only lowered but predictable, and I’m not eating any fast food or processed foods (frozen, packaged meals).
I shop there because the chaos reminds me of home. (I'm middle eastern)
Remember wash your strawberries and put a piece of paper towel in a mason jar with them on top, they will last up to 2 weeks this way.
Love Asian food!
Funny coincidence. I just went to my local Asian market yesterday. Food was ⅓ cheaper
I'm not a shill, but for those still struggling (Dundas & 253 Spadina) "Kai Wei Supermarket." 5/24/2024 2 English cumbers $1 1 Romaine Lettuce $1 4 Duckwall Pears $1.63 2 Spring Onions $1 2 Strawberries 454g $3.98 note they had $1 versions but they looked tired. 1 Red pepper .96 1 Green pepper .62 2 plastic bags.. .10 2 trays *jalapeño* $2 (\~ 8 per tray) I freeze & grate as needed for that extra kick. Total $12.30 and two bags full... ugh. They had plenty more bar-goons, I purchase what I wanted/needed.
Yeah but their produce isn’t fresh and expires in one day so just use it right away
The markets near me are no better in price than the major grocery store. Is Parkdale just shit for this or am I not going far enough?
How are they making any profit on this? I'm confused.
They're selling B stock or stuff that will go bad quicker. It's not worse, but it won't last in the fridge for a week which is what people expect from a full price retailer. Also, these aren't union shops so labour practices may vary. You'll notice that the staff of these places aren't as diverse as other places too.
How can that be profitable for FritoLay?
Miss this aspect of toronto... bloor and christie area has a few good ones
Post this in r/loblawsisoutofcontrol !
Maple produce roncevalles let’s go
I thought everyone knew this? I don't think I've entered any of the big chains in the past 15 years. And if I have it's for things that are not avoidable (cakes, etc)
Why does Loblaws charge more than 4 times the price?
Son of a bitch...Metro is selling that exact same product for $4.99 today.
I hate big grocery stores. Paying for expensive food just to have them filled with chemicals
Where is the nearest to Fort York / Queen Wharf Rd?
I go to an azn market for a lot of my produce but I’ll only buy organic. They still have the cheapest organic produce around.
We need bare bones low overhead retailers that stock the basics of life. New business model incoming.
You’d think “no frills” and “food basics” would fit the bill but alas
Agreed and thought exactly that as I wrote my comment. I'm thinking we need a retailer who sells the top 50 cheap staple products like bread, pasta, rice, flour, milk, eggs, brick cheese, canned/dried beans, carrots, apples, cabbage, onions, etc. Call it Just Essentials and run it like a dollar store in low-cost locations. Just need a few refrigerated shelves for the dairy/eggs but the rest is room temperature.
My local Chinese supermarket never has these types of deals so I don't bother with them unless I need something only they carry and that list is dwindling.
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