Advice please
 

I am considering opening a shop selling English Products ie HP Sauce and decent tea bags. The question is do you think there is a market for it?

I am tired of trying to bring my favourite food in my case when I return to the UK and I am fed up with paying the high price for listerine......

Any thoughts would be welcome


Pete

Re: Advice please
 

There's a British Food Shop in Cassino, run by Michelle Ryan, she's on FB, if it wasn't so far away, I would certainly use it. Where are you? There are no british food shops down here in Puglia, as far as I know, although LIDL is quite good for cereals and instant coffee.

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Help if you said what part of Italy.:D There was a shop in Verona. Still has a few things, but I don't think they researched what products to stock and when etc. Esselunga sell H.P sauce.

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Wow thanks for the fast reply. I am in the north in Casale Monferrato. Where all the large mosquitoes live. But I might try to open on the outskirts of Turin or Milan.
I know some products are available over here but they tend to be very expensive, and thanks for the tip on the brown sauce.

Before I go spending money on stock etc. It would be interesting to know if people would go. I know I would also have to stock items that the local italians would also like. Any suggestions on what you would like to see in the shop if it was near you would also help.

I have heard of a shop in Perugia called The Wee Shop. but it is the only one I have heard of.

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just looked on "the wee shop" site. is it just me or are the prices almost double those of a normal UK supermarket. No wonder Italians avoid UK products ... if the prices were more reasonable I'm sure most would at least try some of them. My son went with some friends on a school trip to London last year and when they got back they all wanted HP sauce, Tizer and english sausages ...

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You are correct their prices are high. I know I can bring UK food to Italy and charge a more realistic price...... But I have only met a few English people over here and wonder if there is a market for an English shop.

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Florence has "The Olde English Shop" in the centre. €5 for a big bar of Cadbury's! The best was in a deli on a side street - Tiptree's Little Scarlet jam for €18!!! I know it is about £5 in the UK because it is "special" for some reason, but that was taking the p!!:ohmy:

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"Tizer"! Now there's a word I haven't heard for centuries!

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I'd understood that, but opening such a specialised shop and limiting yourself to only English clients obviously means selling less and needing to keep prices high. (There again I remember a pack of Divella in UK supermarkets costing double the price in Italy).
I'm sure you could aim at Italians too - why buy earl grey when you can pg tips/tetley ... or mulino bianco when you can get the whole mcvities range ... not to mention christmas crackers, cadburys drinking chocolate,custard powder and bisto gravy. I can only say that half the stuff I order online from the UK is for my Italian friends.
Here in Salerno there's "La Casa Bianca" which specialises in foreign foods. Prices are ridicously high but it usually has at least two types of cheddar ...

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As a kid I used to collect empty abandoned Tizer and Barr bottles for the 10p refund to supplement my pocket money. I must be getting old as I nearly said " ah the good old days"

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Here was I thinking there's nothing English I'd be particularly interested in... and then you said that magic word: chedder. The king of all cheeses. I'd definitely love to have a shop here that sold chedder.

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We are in Sardinia. There is a shop in Cagliari that has been around for years (so obviously a market despite not being a large ex-pat community) that sells everything from Heinz tomato ketchup to Colman's mustard powder. A large tin of Heinz baked beans, for example, sells at €1.90. The shop does not have a particular UK bias (more international) as it also sells curry sauces, coconut milk, lemon grass, tacos etc.

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Thanks, curry sauces are a great idea. I have occasionally found curry sauces here. I think to start with I will just try and bring over UK products. I am working on a list of items. ( The ones I miss the most first :unsure:.

Pete

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In my very small part of Italy there is an "Asia/Africa" place that is half a phone-internet centre and half a little shop. It is aimed at the growing number of Pakistan - India - Africa - Bangladesh people here. It's great for cheap spices and basmati rice. It's also the only place I have found Heinz baked beans (2.30 Euro a can) and it sells Exeter Corned Beef. Remember the red funny shaped cans with the little key to open them?

Here is a list of foodstufs I have brought back from the UK.

T-bags....loads of them.
Gravy granules.
Cheddar and some smoked cheeses.
Bacon and sausages and sometimes a big ham. Lots of bacon.
Heinz salad cream.
Cadbury's..... all kinds including Chocolate Buttons.
Irish butter or Lurpak salted.
English mustard.
Hoola Hoops (kids eat them on the plane)
Cider.
Food colouring in little bottles.
Jelly Babies.
Ginger nut biscuits - the hard crunchy ones.
Jacobs Cream Crackers or a Jacobs cheese biscuits selection box.
Treacle or Golden syrup.
Strong curry paste.
Brought some Soreen Malt Loaf a few times.

I also buy as many medicines as I can. I'm not paying 9 Euro for children's Ibuprofen or the disgusting Tacchipirina here when I can get it for less than 2 quid in the UK and I can get packets of paracetamol for 16p !!!!


Non foodstuffs that I've brought back for the kitchen include a kettle, egg cups, an egg poacher pan, a three tier steamer, a cup tree, a gravy boat, a butter dish, an egg timer (the ones with sand in) and a teapot. This was before the days of Amazon.

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I have just ordered from OH ( in the UK at the moment) many different chinese sauces, which I use in stir-fries, little packs of garlic/rosemary/cajun spices you put on roast potatoes, Eat Natural( organic) brand fruit and nut bars, porridge, Tetley Earl grey and vanila teabags, Regae regae sauce.

He also brings paracetamol/Neurofen/Tixylix when needed.

I use filo pastry in cooking and it is almost impossible to find. Got a Greek one some time ago from a small Arabic shop, where I also got Tahini paste to make humus.I miss the different varities of humus in the UK supermarkets....

Are you planning on stocking perishable food items as well or mainly dry foods?

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Lidl baked beans are better than Heinz - they have less sugar.
Can I add horseradish, branstons, piccalilli and MARMITE to your list ...
Mincemeat and mincepies/Xmas puds
But - you will have to charge the earth if you considering making a living - weight, petrol, rent and IVA to add, plus CCIAA dues, licence and so on - you cant think you can just add 10p a pack and you'll be raking it in. You also want such small quantities that no wholesaler will consider you.
McVities are now selling big here - even sponsoring Striscia la Notizia, but still no hobnobs.....

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Hi Lorna
I guess backed beans, bacon and gravy granules are on most peoples wish list. They are certainly on mine. I started my list with the things I miss most like crisps, bacon, biscuits etc.

Never thought of paracetamol, but then I don't like taking tablets even when I am ill.

Pete

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Hi Modicasa,

Piccalilli must be at the top of the list. Erh.... CCIAA is it the extended branch of the CIA? Why is the bureaucracy so difficult in Italy. It is no wonder there are so few small business in Italy. I have talked to Italian friends in Italy and they all so, don't open anything in Italy it is too difficult, try the UK or America......

I am in the early stages of looking at this, and am open to advice. I have even thought of a mobile English shop that visits the markets on set days. With a website giving info when and where plus prices.

I have found a wholesaler in the UK who will deliver mixed pallets to Italy at a reasonable price.

I certainly need to do something as I am the bored house husband at the moment.

Pete

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tinned custard and evaporated milk

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To be honest I am not sure. Bacon is a must but it becomes more difficult in storing and the sell by date.

Pete

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I have just started to do a fairly regular order from an online supermarket(I won't say the name but you all know it)for myself and friends.Many of them don't have a credit card or even a pc.I thought the demand would have been higher but as summer is coming a lot of people are going back to the UK,volcano cloud permitting.Lots of people wanted squash and Ribena as they can't bring liquids.Crisps,mustard,horseraddish sauce,porrige oats,teabags and even sudocream were the most popular things. I would also love to have a small shop here but a couple of ones selling foreign foods have gone bust.This could be because Neopolitans are not keen on trying anything new but they love Cadbury's chocolate though.

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I live not too far from Milan and most of the things that people have talked about I can already get, either in Esselunga, the Asian shops and a deli in town. I have held off replying because I didn't want to put a damper on your idea but you have to wonder why it hasn't been done before. I have asked about cider and brown beer before and neither travel too well.

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Will you be doing mail order for us Southerners? TCP would be a must on my list, Lysoform is rubbish.

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tinned custard - I thought Birds no longer did it.... but they do in Malta.

Re the bureaucracy - I think a mobile market is a great idea - much better than a shop - and the markets in Italy are fab. It would keep your running costs down and allow you to have a much greater catchment area. I know some market traders so will ask them what the form filling is like - your big problem will be getting a stall - it requires booking sometimes months ahead for a pitch, certainly here in the south - and if you want to do the religious festival markets which are the big pull - there is huge competitiion for pitches.

If you plumped for a shop, you would need to register your 'impresa' with the Camera di Commercio (CHamber of Commerce) at which point you start paying INPS (NI) and IVA (VAT) whether you trade or not. You will need a commercialista, and become adab hand at filling in ledgers.

You will have to pay for a certain form which allows deducitons to be reclaimed cross border, and whcih used to be an annual return but is now quarterly - your commercialista will charge you for each one as well as the tax stamp it costs to submit.

You have a rental contract which if commercial will be probably for 6 years, renewable - though you can deduct the rent from your expenses.

And you would need a licence to sell foods, so it means taking over an existing food shop. You will also have to do a course and pass it, in ITalian, for food hygiene before you can handle foodstuffs. You pay for that course and it will be run perhaps by the ConfCommercio or the CCIAA (Camera di Commercio)

The rules for markets are undoubtedly more relaxed!

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business is funny I had Italian friend who wanted to start a business in London I said just do it, they expect loads of paperwork, you could think of name and be trading the next day in London and do the paperwork later or not, I went to a big market I think it was on a Sunday near Vicenza, I could have sworn it was the same people that did Romford market on Wednesday, there was a French market in ilford selling strawberry and garlic and things cant see how they make money, but there was a man from Spain selling own brand olive oil at a boot sale where I used to live and a french stall selling cheese who told me he drove from France two or three times a week, and there is a big market near Liverpool street station where a man from Sicily sells cheese so they must make money somehow

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What about a chippy :) Frozen at sea cod and haddock, mushy peas, local potatoes for the chips. You could do; fish chips and mushy peas, fish and chips with curry sauce, meat pie gravy and chips, fishcake and chips, deep-fried sausage and chips. You could also stock your HP sauce tea bags etc.:thumbsup: OR... what about a mobile chippy or even a mobile burger van!!

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It is a good point. I have wondered why it hasn't been tried before. I think the crazy form filling and rules stops most people, including Italians from trying to start a business. In the UK there are loads of specialist shops for the immigration population. But not so here.

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TCP arrgh my mother used to rub it in my cuts when I had fallen over. More as a punishment than a cure.

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18 months ago I suggested to my wife that I experiment with home made KFC with a view to a little take away. But it was pants:unsure: I just couldn't get the flavour right. We had invited some italian young friends 20 & 19 year olds and they devoured it. But it wasn't any where as good as KFC.

I had never thought of a chippy, they work in Spain. but I think because the UK masses go there for holiday get burn get drunk and eat english. Italy is very different. I think people come here for the food and love of the country.

But I must say it has got me thinking.

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I'm not sure if that is true for handling packaged foodstuffs.

Certainly the 16 year old school leaver that works in the COOP supermarket has no such kind of certificate.

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Hi Pete
I've often thought about this type of business but to be honest I'm too much of a coward... the italian beaurocracy frightens the life out of me :unsure:

Talking to my english colleagues - most of them cite Teabags as number one on their wishlist - followed by cheddar, marmite, gravy, custard, jars mincemeat (at xmas) and of course paracetomol.
I did find Exeter corned beef in Turin recently and tinned custard powder, salad cream and heinz baked beans. It was a little asian shop.

However I'm in Piemonte so if you do set up something be sure to post it on here!

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It might not be true for all foodstuffs, but someone in the supermarket must have one...
Sell cornetti in the bar, and you need one. And, technically, if you have a b&b and dont serve up prepacked single wrapped cornetti in the morning you should have one. Its just that its Italy and nobody bothers, until they close you down.

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Yep - the people working the deli counter handling cheese and ham etc will have one.
I know you need one to serve food in a bar. I've heard it's not a difficult exam, just a pain in the neck.

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Pete Insted of Opening a shop why not "UK food On Wheels" buy a chiller van and travel Italy selling to expats. You could do a trip once a month to start with to see how things go, Pre orders.

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What a brilliant idea, see Italy and be paid for it at the same time.

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As Margaret said, it is a good idea. I love driving so pick up in the uk and drive down through Italy doing drops. Stay at my lovely mum in law in Sicily and then return... Other than the cost of fuel there has to be a catch.

Ha ha like the meals on wheels for the OAPs in the UK. Defiantly need a catchy name.

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A defiant name could be From Blighty With Love or Man in a Van from Chez UK

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If you are going to drive around Italy you need a van that plays a tune like an ice cream van so we know you are coming, I like dundee cake too, and batenburg cake, almond slices from kipling , aniseed balls, proper sherbet,you could need a big van

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I would like to order peas pudding and cough candy too, I am off to the coop now to see what available

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Defo with a jingle - Man in a Van from Chez UK to the tune of "I'm just a girl who can't say no". Seriously though, I think you would do a good trade, every town has a weekly market, Sunday markets at some beaches, Patron Saint days.