Gourmet Grocery

The person who opens a food shop in Pedasi with "gourmet" options, or at least a consistent supply of fresh fruits and veggies, will make money--at least during the high season.

In a seaside-surf resort town in Costa Rica, we saw this happen. A Brazilian couple opened a small grocery, selling the kinds of edible stuff tourists and expats are used to buying--- in addition to the usual ice cream, cold beer, sodas, chips and sunscreen, there was a conscious effort to cater to health-conscious and globally-attuned foodies.

So: a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh bread from a bakery in a bigger town (rye, whole wheat, peasant, foccaccia), olives, granola, pesto, tapenade, cheese, pasta, tofu, soymilk, chocolates, the natural foods "Bioland" product line....

The shop was open 6 days a week, from 8:30AM to 6:30PM, with a 2-hour lunch break---the cash register was busy all the time. And the owners listened to customers' requests, and fulfilled them if they could, bringing in nori-roll seaweed wrappers, tahini, etc.

Pedasi could use a place like this, even on the smallest scale of packaged goods or a fruit stand only. The clientele is there, especially with luxe-resorts and developments being built or planned all around....Any takers?