Written by Celia Menke, 5th-semester student
Before coming to the island, I wondered if fresh meat and produce would be accessible since most items are imported to St. Maarten. After a little exploration, Super U grocery store has become my favorite place to shop for weekly meals.
Super U is located in a shopping center off of Rue de Hollande in Marigot on the French side of the island, about a 20-minute drive from the AUC campus. Many of their items are imported from France and seem to be as fresh as if they were purchased there. There is an excellent selection of meat, seafood, produce and cheeses. They also carry other shopping necessities that you would expect in a large supermarket in the US such as packaged food, frozen meals, toiletries and other household items.
Prices are generally reasonable and seem to be less expensive than most other supermarkets on the island. For a week of groceries, I estimate saving around $20 compared to other retailers available. Conveniently, prices are listed in both euros and US dollars so keeping track of spending is easy. Credit cards and US dollars are accepted forms of payment.
There is occasional difficulty reading labels since they are all in French; however, most of the time it is obvious what you are purchasing. Google Translate sure does come in handy for some of the cooking instructions though. With the unfamiliar brands and language, it is a mini submersion into French culture!