What is a brand name worth to you?

There are grocery stores (everything), wet markets (perishables – especially meat) and cold storage (products that need refrigeration), standalone bakeries (for any kind of reasonable bread).  With this many types, grocery stores are smaller than in the US.  Another reason is people eat out – so they don’t buy groceries to make meals only drinks and snacks.  A much broader mix of type of food (since Malaysia has so many cuisines) leads to smaller selection for Western foods.  Instead of 5 brands and 10 choices of beans for each brand there could be 2 or 3 choices for any and all beans.  But if you want curry spices, the ratios are reversed. 

Brands make a major difference in pricing.  Local brands are inexpensive, international brands expensive.  For my first major team presentation, I assumed most people would want to sit in the back and I would get little to no interaction.  I brought several bags of chocolate – US, UK and local – I gave them to the chocolate consultant (Janet) and she deemed one of the local brands the best, Snickers 2^nd and the other Cadburys (UK) and local M&Ms last.  The US/UK bags were 20-25 RM/each  $7-8 USD.  The local brands were 3-5 RM ($1-2 USD). 

Being cheapskates, Janet and I are trying all the local brands.  Paper towels are definitely worth paying for imported brands.  Amazing how a single drop of water can turn a paper towel into tissue paper!

We have found some traveling farmer’s markets which are really good and locally reasonable for fruit and veggies. 

Even all together they aren’t a Kroger ………