Grocery shopping in Panama is an experience in itself. Whether you are living in Panama City, travelling through the interior, renting an apartment in Boquete, or spending a few weeks exploring the country, you will quickly discover that not all supermarkets are created equal. Some are excellent for finding imported products from North America and Europe, others focus on affordable everyday groceries, and a few offer a combination of supermarkets, department stores, and household goods under one roof. Panama has a surprisingly diverse grocery shopping scene, and knowing which stores to visit can make a noticeable difference to both your shopping experience and your budget. The main supermarket chains include Riba Smith, Supermercados Rey, Super 99, Super Xtra, El Machetazo, PriceSmart, and Romero, along with smaller specialty stores and local produce markets.
Riba Smith: The Place to Find Imported Products and Specialty Foods
If there is one supermarket in Panama that has developed a particularly strong reputation among international residents and people looking for imported products, it is Riba Smith. Walking through a Riba Smith can feel surprisingly familiar to someone coming from Canada, the United States, or Europe. The stores are known for their extensive selection of imported groceries, specialty ingredients, international brands, cheeses, packaged foods, and products that can be difficult to find elsewhere in Panama. Depending on the branch, shoppers may come across imported sauces, specialty baking ingredients, international snacks, organic products, and a wide selection of deli items.
One of the things that makes Riba Smith stand out is its emphasis on variety and specialty foods rather than simply stocking the cheapest possible version of every product. Its prepared food counters, bakery offerings, and selection of imported ingredients make it particularly useful for people who enjoy cooking or have specific dietary preferences. The tradeoff is that prices can be higher than at discount focused supermarkets. Many residents use Riba Smith strategically, buying specialty items there while purchasing everyday staples elsewhere. If you are craving a particular ingredient from home or trying to recreate a recipe that requires something unusual, Riba Smith is often a good place to start.
Supermercados Rey: A Well Rounded Supermarket for Everyday Shopping
Supermercados Rey is one of the country's established supermarket chains and offers a broad selection of groceries, household essentials, fresh produce, meats, packaged foods, and imported products. It is a familiar option for people who want a conventional supermarket experience with a wide range of products under one roof.
Rey is particularly useful for shoppers who want a combination of everyday groceries and specialty items without having to visit several different stores. Many branches have bakery and deli sections, prepared foods, and a selection of international products. Its product range includes items for different dietary preferences, and the chain is often regarded as a middle to upper tier supermarket in terms of selection and pricing. The availability of particular products can vary between locations, but Rey is generally a practical choice for a complete weekly grocery shop.
Super 99: A Popular Everyday Supermarket
Super 99 is one of the most recognizable supermarket chains in Panama and a common stop for everyday grocery shopping. It occupies a middle ground between discount supermarkets and more premium stores, offering a broad selection of food, household products, personal care items, and familiar grocery brands.
One of Super 99's biggest advantages is its everyday practicality. It is a useful place to shop for rice, beans, pasta, cooking oil, snacks, drinks, cleaning supplies, and other household necessities. Its stores also regularly feature promotions, which can make a difference when buying a larger basket of groceries. Some locations have pharmacies or other convenient services, making them useful for combining several errands into one trip.
For travellers and residents who want a supermarket with a good selection of everyday products without focusing exclusively on premium imports, Super 99 is a familiar option. The shopping experience and product selection can vary depending on the branch, so it is worth checking what is available at your local store.
Super Xtra: A Budget Focused Supermarket
Super Xtra is a supermarket chain focused on affordable everyday shopping. It is particularly useful for people who want to keep grocery costs under control while still having access to fresh produce, meat, dairy products, packaged foods, and household essentials.
Super Xtra tends to appeal to shoppers who prioritize value over having the largest possible selection of imported brands. It is a practical option for stocking up on basic ingredients and household necessities, especially for families, long term travellers, and people living on a budget. Prices vary by product and location, but the chain has developed a reputation for being a value oriented alternative to more premium supermarkets.
If you are preparing meals at home and do not need a large selection of specialty products, Super Xtra is worth considering. It can be particularly useful for buying the basics while reserving specialty purchases for other stores.
El Machetazo: More Than Just a Supermarket
El Machetazo is one of Panama's most distinctive shopping destinations because it combines grocery shopping with a broader department store experience. Depending on the location, you can find food, household products, clothing, kitchen supplies, toys, electronics, and other everyday items in the same building.
This makes El Machetazo particularly useful when you need to do more than simply buy groceries. You might arrive looking for rice, cooking oil, and vegetables and leave with cleaning supplies, a kitchen utensil, or something for the house. Its broad merchandise selection gives it a different feel from a conventional supermarket.
El Machetazo is also associated with value oriented shopping, particularly for everyday staples and household goods. Larger branches can feel more like a budget department store combined with a supermarket than a traditional grocery shop. For travellers staying in Panama for an extended period or residents setting up a home, it can be a practical place to take care of several shopping needs in one visit.
PriceSmart: The Bulk Buying Warehouse
PriceSmart operates on a membership warehouse model, making it different from the typical supermarket. Instead of focusing on small quantities and frequent shopping trips, PriceSmart specializes in larger packages, bulk groceries, household supplies, and selected imported products.
The store is particularly useful for families, businesses, restaurants, and people who regularly purchase large quantities of the same products. You may find large packs of pantry staples, frozen foods, snacks, cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household essentials. Buying in bulk can reduce the cost per unit, although the upfront price is higher and not every product is necessarily cheaper than at a conventional supermarket.
Membership is generally required to shop, and the value depends on how much you buy and whether you have enough storage space. For a backpacker staying in Panama for a week, PriceSmart is unlikely to be particularly useful. For a household, a hostel, or someone stocking up for several weeks, it can be a different story.
Romero: A Regional Supermarket With Deep Roots in Chiriquí
Romero is a regional supermarket chain with a long history in the provinces of Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro. It has served communities in western Panama for generations and remains a familiar name for shoppers in the region.
One of the things that makes Romero distinctive is its strong regional presence. Rather than being known primarily for imported specialty products or warehouse style bulk shopping, it is part of the everyday grocery shopping landscape in western Panama. It is particularly relevant for people living in David, travelling through Chiriquí, or spending time in the communities around the province.
Romero became part of Grupo Rey's portfolio in 2017, and the company continues to operate as a regional supermarket brand. For visitors exploring Boquete, David, and the surrounding countryside, Romero is one of the supermarket names worth recognizing.
Mr. Precio: A Discount Supermarket for Everyday Essentials
Mr. Precio is a discount supermarket brand operated by Grupo Rey. Its focus is on offering everyday products at accessible prices, making it an option for shoppers who prioritize affordability over an extensive selection of premium or imported products.
The chain is designed around practical grocery shopping, with an emphasis on basic household needs and commonly purchased food products. It can be a useful option for stocking up on everyday essentials without paying for a more specialized shopping experience. Its locations are concentrated in communities where affordable shopping is particularly important.
Specialty Stores and Organic Markets: For Something Different
Panama also has specialty grocery stores that cater to shoppers looking for organic products, health foods, imported ingredients, and more unusual products. Stores such as Organica Store offer an alternative to conventional supermarkets, with a focus on products that may be difficult to find in a standard grocery aisle.
These specialty stores can be useful for people looking for organic foods, particular dietary products, or premium ingredients. The selection and prices vary considerably, and specialty shops are generally not intended to replace a complete weekly grocery shop.
Local produce markets are another important part of the shopping landscape. They can be a great place to find seasonal tropical fruit, vegetables, herbs, and other fresh products. Shopping at a market also gives you a chance to discover ingredients that are less familiar to international visitors, from local varieties of bananas and plantains to seasonal fruits that may only appear for a few weeks each year.
Which Supermarket Is Best for Different Types of Shopping?
There is no single supermarket that is best for every shopper. The most useful option depends on your budget, where you live, and what you want to buy.
If you are looking for imported products and specialty ingredients, Riba Smith is worth visiting. If you want a broad selection of groceries for everyday cooking, Rey and Super 99 are practical options. If you are trying to keep your grocery bill down, Super Xtra, El Machetazo, and Mr. Precio are worth comparing. For bulk purchases, PriceSmart offers a different shopping experience. If you are in Chiriquí or Bocas del Toro, Romero is a familiar regional option.
For many people living in Panama, the most practical approach is to shop at more than one store. You might buy everyday staples at a value focused supermarket, pick up imported ingredients at Riba Smith, and visit a local market for fresh produce. This approach gives you access to a wider range of products while helping you manage your grocery budget.
Panama's supermarket scene reflects the country's mix of local traditions, international influences, and different ways of life. From the imported specialty foods at Riba Smith to the bulk buying model at PriceSmart and the regional familiarity of Romero, there is a supermarket for almost every kind of shopper.
If you are new to Panama, exploring a few different chains is one of the easiest ways to discover what is available and how prices compare. You may find that your favourite supermarket is not necessarily the biggest or the cheapest, but the one that consistently has the products you need, fits your budget, and makes grocery shopping convenient.