The Villa - Half The Food At Triple The Price

[TheShockMaster]

Popped in to my new local supermarket around the corner to see what delights I could pick up for my lunch and stock the fridge. I'm talking about the Villa at 'The Avenue' on 2nd Road. I think I've found the reason why nobody visits The Avenue anymore... the Villa's prices are enough to scare the richest farangs away within a 2 mile radius.

Unbelievable. I'm talking almost triple the price than any other Supermarket, 7/11 or Family Mart. They have a good selection of food, cheese, meats etc but why would anyone shop in there? Even if it's convenient why would anyone pay £6.70 for a packet of 5 slices of Edam cheese or £8 for a small pack of Salami? I'd sooner take a walk along to Friendship Supermarket and get a months supply of cheese for the same price.

I seriously think they need to reconsider their strategy and pricing if they are to survive, otherwise it will be another large empty unit at The Avenue in no time.

Are there any other 'Villa' supermarkets in Pattaya or is this a one off, owend by the same people who are running The Avenue in to the ground?

[Gone]

We aren't exagerating a little bit are we? 6.70 for 3 slices of cheese? That's $8.75 USD.

[thenervoussurgeon]

A little exageration methinks ,but yes villa is expensive compared to other supermarkets ,we only go there to see if they have anything new now and again,i think mainly tourists go there.

[tinfoilhat]

Villa can be crazy expensive, however whenever i try to shop somewhere else, i always end up going back to villa to pick up something.

[TheShockMaster]

Villa can be crazy expensive, however whenever i try to shop somewhere else, i always end up going back to villa to pick up something.

I'm the same. I only go there to buy Robinson's juice as I can't find it anywhere else. Still, it costs about £3 a bottle. Crazy.

Probably exaggerated those first prices a little, but trust me, not by much.

[Gone]

I get most of my meat and veggies from the local markets and only use these grocery stores for some things that sell faring stuff. I have heard about Villa being expensive but I live closer to Foodland so do all my shopping there.

It wasn't many years ago that you couldn't buy any "farang" food in Thailand so I guess these are kind of luxury foods and we have to pay the price but still finding the BEST price and maybe that is not Villa.

[petercool]

Don't wish to be argumentative but even 45 years ago there were supermarkets in Bangkok - and even one in Pattaya - that stocked imported foodstuffs. Villa was the first in Bangkok and I think Best was the first in Pattaya.

[Woody1]

I get most of my meat and veggies from the local markets and only use these grocery stores for some things that sell faring stuff. I have heard about Villa being expensive but I live closer to Foodland so do all my shopping there.

It wasn't many years ago that you couldn't buy any "farang" food in Thailand so I guess these are kind of luxury foods and we have to pay the price but still finding the BEST price and maybe that is not Villa.

What a load of rubbish!! I've been living in Pattaya for almost ten years, and visiting in the years prior to moving here, and there's always been, "farang" food available here, not to mention the rest of Thailand, and not able to buy any! Where do you get your info from??

[JusticeFT96]

Villa is great, so many things in there that are not available at other places. Some things may be a bit more expensive but other things are cheaper also.

Dont buy imported things if your not happy with the price. Wagyu steak in Central tops is around 2700 a kilo or around that, villa is about 4200 per kilo, however its a totally different brand and steak as I bet your cheese is if its really that much.

[meatballs]

Cheese is so expensive here. I wouldn't dare pay those prices back home.

[Semper]

We aren't exagerating a little bit are we? 6.70 for 3 slices of cheese? That's $8.75 USD.

And how much would that be in real money (for those of us living in Thailand)?

[tinfoilhat]

Villa can be crazy expensive, however whenever i try to shop somewhere else, i always end up going back to villa to pick up something.

I'm the same. I only go there to buy Robinson's juice as I can't find it anywhere else. Still, it costs about £3 a bottle. Crazy.

Probably exaggerated those first prices a little, but trust me, not by much.

i love the Florida natural lemonade and ruby red grapefruit, but 189 for a carton.

vlassic dill 1/4 spears 650!!!

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

I I use Villa a lot. I rate them high on quality for most things. I wouldn't say they were more expensive than other supermarkets for the products I like to buy. Cheese always seems an expensive commodity in Thailand. I just vary the cheese I eat in order to get the best bargain.

[jbrain]

I I use Villa a lot. I rate them high on quality for most things. I wouldn't say they were more expensive than other supermarkets for the products I like to buy. Cheese always seems an expensive commodity in Thailand. I just vary the cheese I eat in order to get the best bargain.

I don't know if cheese has to be expensive in Thailand.At Big C xtra I buy 250 gram Camembert,Brie or Coulommiers for 150 Baht, I'm sure at Villa you will not find those products below 600 Baht.

At big C they are from the house brand where in Villa they will have a " Name ".Maybe it are my tastebuts , but I don't taste a difference.

[Gone]

I get most of my meat and veggies from the local markets and only use these grocery stores for some things that sell faring stuff. I have heard about Villa being expensive but I live closer to Foodland so do all my shopping there.

It wasn't many years ago that you couldn't buy any "farang" food in Thailand so I guess these are kind of luxury foods and we have to pay the price but still finding the BEST price and maybe that is not Villa.

What a load of rubbish!! I've been living in Pattaya for almost ten years, and visiting in the years prior to moving here, and there's always been, "farang" food available here, not to mention the rest of Thailand, and not able to buy any! Where do you get your info from??

When I got here I lived in Rangsit and at that time I was the only farang there. We had Big-C in Future Part Rangsit and some farang friendly stores in Bkk but when I say not that long ago, I mean even 45 years is not that long ago and yes after the Americans were stationed in Pattaya for the war they were the first to bring farang food here then some stores caught on after the Military had gone home and started returning to their gf's and a good life here.

The selections are for ever changing and that is good but my point is that some of these luxury items cost us more and we can't really complain. Well we can but.......

I'm talking things like: Kraft dinner, Pop Tarts, Marshmellows, Real hot chocolate, Champion Button mushrooms, Different cereals etc. etc. etc.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Rimmer
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[timekeeper]

Villa can be crazy expensive, however whenever i try to shop somewhere else, i always end up going back to villa to pick up something.

I'm the same. I only go there to buy Robinson's juice as I can't find it anywhere else. Still, it costs about £3 a bottle. Crazy.

Probably exaggerated those first prices a little, but trust me, not by much.

Robinson's at friendship 143b, central festival tops 139b, sometimes at tops secoond road 145b even at Na-Na on soi kao noi 150......

[Naam]

vlassic dill 1/4 spears 650!!!

i will grind my teeth and buy some. haven't tasted them since we left Florida 8 years ago.

Vlassic Dill = heavenly delight!

[Naam]

I I use Villa a lot. I rate them high on quality for most things. I wouldn't say they were more expensive than other supermarkets for the products I like to buy. Cheese always seems an expensive commodity in Thailand. I just vary the cheese I eat in order to get the best bargain.

i use Villa once in a while to buy a variety of smoked fish. bloody expensive but the only place i know where i can get smoked fish without some freaking Thai style sugar coating.

[Jayman]

vlassic dill 1/4 spears 650!!!

i will grind my teeth and buy some. haven't tasted them since we left Florida 8 years ago.

Vlassic Dill = heavenly delight!

I will say that the pickles being sold by mjsmokehouse are very tasty as well and they deliver. Price for a jar is reasonable. I too like a good dill pickle and feel the mjsmokehouse ones fit the bill.

[Jayman]

I I use Villa a lot. I rate them high on quality for most things. I wouldn't say they were more expensive than other supermarkets for the products I like to buy. Cheese always seems an expensive commodity in Thailand. I just vary the cheese I eat in order to get the best bargain.

i use Villa once in a while to buy a variety of smoked fish. bloody expensive but the only place i know where i can get smoked fish without some freaking Thai style sugar coating.

I'm not a fish eater but again, mjsmokehosue does smoked salmon. I have never tried it so can't comment on it's taste but I have enjoyed everything else I tried from them immensely.

[yoslim]

I I use Villa a lot. I rate them high on quality for most things. I wouldn't say they were more expensive than other supermarkets for the products I like to buy. Cheese always seems an expensive commodity in Thailand. I just vary the cheese I eat in order to get the best bargain.

I don't know if cheese has to be expensive in Thailand.At Big C xtra I buy 250 gram Camembert,Brie or Coulommiers for 150 Baht, I'm sure at Villa you will not find those products below 600 Baht.

At big C they are from the house brand where in Villa they will have a " Name ".Maybe it are my tastebuts , but I don't taste a difference.

BigC xtra still has some imported products from France, Casino brand; good value for money but I usually stay away from farang food to avoid blowing up the budget. Villa Market drives me mad, hard to find a product that costs less than 100 baht

Edited September 19, 2012 by yoslim

[candid]

We aren't exagerating a little bit are we? 6.70 for 3 slices of cheese? That's $8.75 USD.

$11 would be nearer the correct price

[PattayaPhom]

Villa can be crazy expensive, however whenever i try to shop somewhere else, i always end up going back to villa to pick up something.

I'm the same. I only go there to buy Robinson's juice as I can't find it anywhere else. Still, it costs about £3 a bottle. Crazy.

Probably exaggerated those first prices a little, but trust me, not by much.

You really have to stop comparing prices to the UK, of course imported goods carry heavy taxes hence the high price.....Just think of the Thais in the UK, here you get Pappaya for 10 baht or most times free from the garden, 7 years ago in the UK my Mrs bought one and it cost her a tenner!!!...so the equivalant at the time would be 700 Baht...by the way how much is Robinsons in the UK, probably over 2 quid a bottle now anyway.

Edited September 20, 2012 by PattayaPhom

[tinfoilhat]

vlassic dill 1/4 spears 650!!!

i will grind my teeth and buy some. haven't tasted them since we left Florida 8 years ago.

Vlassic Dill = heavenly delight!

Actually, i misspoke, i meant the claussen.

I went to both foodland and villa yesterday and was reminded of this thread so i did a vague comparison.

and i am convinced overall savings are around 30 percent. If not actually, it just feels that way.

Deli is cheaper, cheese certainly cheaper, meats like chicken, cheaper. At foodland, vegetables seem almost free in comparison and some fruits are much better..

That said, the plan was to make fajitas, and beyond jars of one variety of old el paso stuff, nothing, so as usual, i had to go to Villa anyways.

Part of the perceived savings at foodland may be that i always got to villa immediately afterwards and spend another 500baht.You have to be very careful at Villa, two types of tomato sitting side by side can vary by 100 baht is cost.

I must say though the environment at Villa is more pleasant, but that is more down to the difference .between Suk sois 5 and 11

Edited September 20, 2012 by tinfoilhat

[tinfoilhat]

vlassic dill 1/4 spears 650!!!

i will grind my teeth and buy some. haven't tasted them since we left Florida 8 years ago.

Vlassic Dill = heavenly delight!

I will say that the pickles being sold by mjsmokehouse are very tasty as well and they deliver. Price for a jar is reasonable. I too like a good dill pickle and feel the mjsmokehouse ones fit the bill.

are they real kosher dills or those awful sweet pickles every brand i have tried in thailand has ended up being?

[silentnine]

Villa can be crazy expensive, however whenever i try to shop somewhere else, i always end up going back to villa to pick up something.

I'm the same. I only go there to buy Robinson's juice as I can't find it anywhere else. Still, it costs about £3 a bottle. Crazy.

Probably exaggerated those first prices a little, but trust me, not by much.

You really have to stop comparing prices to the UK, of course imported goods carry heavy taxes hence the high price.....Just think of the Thais in the UK, here you get Pappaya for 10 baht or most times free from the garden, 7 years ago in the UK my Mrs bought one and it cost her a tenner!!!...so the equivalant at the time would be 700 Baht...by the way how much is Robinsons in the UK, probably over 2 quid a bottle now anyway.

ouch

i left the uk 5 years ago and the robinsons was 89p a bottle.. have prices really gone up that much ?

cheese. the only way to buy chedder is the big 2kg blocks that are about 700bt

[brewsterbudgen]

Shock horror - imported food is expensive! As an expat of 7 years, let me tell you supermarkets like Villa are life savers. Just think in baht, rather tha £'s or $'s.

[TheShockMaster]

Shock horror - imported food is expensive! As an expat of 7 years, let me tell you supermarkets like Villa are life savers. Just think in baht, rather tha £'s or $'s.

The original point I was getting at was that it's MORE expensive than other places for imported food. Not the fact that imported food is expensive. I earn my money in £'s as my company is UK based so I always think in £ when it comes to everyday items like food. Even thinking in Baht, the imported cheese and meats in Villa are a lot more than your average supermarkets imported cheese and meats.

[JusticeFT96]

Robinsons will still be around 89p, brands like that are so big changes in price are not really needed that much.

One of the main reasons I am going back to the UK is due to what I am paying on items.

I love food too much to stop eating it to live off thai food. I love my imported meats, local beef and lamb but most of all wine! I used to think paying £8 for a nice bottle of wine from oddbins was a bit too much, now im paying £10-£30 a bottle depending on what I get and where from. I can be drinking bottles of champange at home on a regular basis rather than drinking an average bottle of wine here.

When I go out to eat I like to drink wine with my meal, it increases the bill by 1000-1500 each time and the wine sometimes is just awful. There are a few bargains to be had, they have a lovely selection of wines at the wine shop @ avenue but I dont like driving all the way into busy pattaya just for a bottle of wine so most of the time I end up at foodmart for a mediocre bottle of wine.

I may return to thailand at another time but I would really love to live in Florida the mosquitos in thailand are just too annoying for me and the prices of farang food. If the taxes ever changed I would consider coming back but I dont think that will be likely.

[brewsterbudgen]

Shock horror - imported food is expensive! As an expat of 7 years, let me tell you supermarkets like Villa are life savers. Just think in baht, rather tha £'s or $'s.

The original point I was getting at was that it's MORE expensive than other places for imported food. Not the fact that imported food is expensive. I earn my money in £'s as my company is UK based so I always think in £ when it comes to everyday items like food. Even thinking in Baht, the imported cheese and meats in Villa are a lot more than your average supermarkets imported cheese and meats.

Villa, and other specialist imported food markets, has a far wider selection of imported food than "average supermarkets". Sure, some items can be expensive but no one is forced to buy them. I'm just grateful that imported favourites are available and as I get paid in baht, I couldn't care less what the £ equivalent is!