6 Supermarkets in Lima, Peru
One of the first things I do when I find myself in a new location is explore the supermarkets. I look at the products they stock, and the layout of the store and watch how the transactions are handled. It can tell you a surprising amount about the place. During my stay in Lima, I discovered six stores that have branches throughout the city and I’ll be shedding light on what each one stocks, their origins, their pricing and the delivery options they offer.
Plaza Vea
What Do They Sell?
Plaza Vea offers grocery items, home appliances, clothes and electronics. Their hypermarkets stock most items and the full range can be viewed online.
They also sell their own grocery brands. Bell’s is a range of lower-priced everyday items like rice, bread, flour and honey. La Florencia is a selection of cheeses, cold cuts, desserts and ice cream. Boreal covers their cleaning and personal care items. Balanzé is their line of healthy products.
Do They Deliver?
Yes, they offer several delivery options with a minimum purchase price of S/15.00.
- Express delivery is only available for some products and has a 15-item limit. The service is available in Barranco, Breña, Callao, Chorrillos, Comas, Independencia, Jesús María, La Molina, La Victoria, Lince, Los Olivos, Magdalena, Miraflores, Pueblo Libre, San Borja, San Isidro, San Juan de Lurigancho, San Luis, San Martin de Porres, San Miguel, Surco and Surquillo.
- In-store pick up is available at many of the branches.
- The standard home delivery area covers Ate, Barranco, Bellavista, Breña, Carabayllo, Carmen de la Legua and Reynoso, Chaclacayo, Chorrillos, Comas, El Agustino, Jesús María, Independencia, La Molina, La Victoria, La Perla, La Punta, Lince, Lima, Los Olivos, Magdalena del Mar, Miraflores, Pueblo Libre, Rimac, San Borja, San Isidro, San Juan de Lurigancho, San Juan de Miraflores, San Luis, San Martín de Porres, San Miguel, Santa Anita, Santiago de Surco, Surquillo, Villa El Salvador and Villa María del Triunfo.
Are They Available on Delivery Apps?
No, but you can order through their website.
Are They Local?
This chain is owned by the Peruvian company Supermercados Peruanos S.A.
Metro
What Do They Sell?
Metro stocks everything from food and home appliances to sports goods and electronics. Their hypermarkets stock a range of larger items and the full catalogue can be found online.
They also have their own grocery brand Cuisine & Co. It has two distinct lines that cover many food items. The products with white packaging are low-cost, everyday items and help keep the overall price of a weekly shop down. The company's black packaging is reserved for its luxury range of products, which includes Andean pink salt, Argentinian burgers, and swordfish. These items are still lower in value than competing brands.
Do They Deliver?
Yes, they offer home delivery across Lima and a selection of their branches have a collect in-store service.
Are They Available on Delivery Apps?
Yes, Metro is available on PedidosYa and Rappi. You can also order via their app or website.
Are They Local?
They are owned by the Chilean company Cencosud.
Vivanda
What Do They Sell?
Vivanda sells everything you need for a weekly shop and stocks items from the Bell’s, La Florencia, Boreal and Balanzé lines. See the Plaza Vea section in this article for more details.
Do They Deliver?
Yes, their delivery area includes Barranco, Surquillo, Miraflores, Chorrillos, San Isidro, San Borja, San Luis, Santiago de Surco, La Molina, Jesus María, Lince, La Victoria, Magdalena Del Mar, Pueblo Libre, Breña and Saint Michael. The minimum purchase price is S/30.
Are They Available on Delivery Apps?
No, but you can order through their website.
Are They Local?
They are owned by the Peruvian company Supermercados Peruanos S.A.
Wong
What Do They Sell?
This chain stocks grocery items, electronics, pet products, home appliances, toys and sports goods. Their hypermarkets carry many of the larger items and customers can shop the complete catalogue online.
They also offer a discount range, Cuisine & Co, which is also available at Metro supermarkets. See the Metro section in this article for more details about the line.
Do They Deliver?
Yes, they offer home delivery across Lima and some stores have a free collection service.
Are They Available on Delivery Apps?
Yes, Wong is available on PedidosYa and Rappi. You can also order via their app or website.
Are They Local?
Wong is owned by the Chilean company Cencosud.
Tottus
What Do They Sell?
Tottus has an extensive selection of food and home products, offering customers a cheaper own-brand option for many items. Their hypermarkets stock electronics and home appliances and their catalogue can be found online via the Tottus website.
Do They Deliver?
Yes.
Are They Available on Delivery Apps?
No, but you can order through their app or website. It’s worth noting that we weren't able to download the app using an international phone.
Are They Local?
Tottus is owned by the Chilean retail company S.A.C.I. Falabella.
Flora & Fauna
What Do They Sell?
This health-conscious brand is known for its organic and pesticide-free fruits and vegetables. It stocks free-range eggs, antibiotic-free meats, superfoods, fresh bread and a selection of vitamins and supplements.
They also have a selection of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan products, making them a good choice for anyone with allergies or dietary requirements.
Do They Deliver?
Yes, their delivery area includes Barranco, Chorrillos, Jesús María, La Molina, Lince, Magdalena, Miraflores, Pueblo Libre, San Borja, San Isidro, San Luis, San Miguel, Santiago de Surco and Surquillo. Some of the branches also offer a collect in-store service.
Delivery is available Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and Sunday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Are They Available on Delivery Apps?
Yes, Flora & Fauna is available on PedidosYa and Rappi. You can also order on their website.
Are They Local?
This small chain is owned by the Peruvian company Produsana SAC.
Price Comparison
I compared the cost of 17 everyday products across the six supermarkets. Flora & Fauna don't carry all the brands available at the other stores, so I selected the closest matching item for comparison. Where multiple suitable options were available, I picked the product with the lowest price. A change from the original product is marked by an asterisk next to the cost.
Product | Flora & Fauna | PlazaVea | Metro | Wong | Vivanda | Tottus |
| Danlac Whole Milk (900ml) | S/7.60 | S/7.00 | S/6.99 | S/7.00 | S/7.00 | S/7.30 |
| La Calera Free Range Eggs (12) | S/15.00* | S/14.50 | S/14.50 | S/14.50 | S/14.50 | S/14.50 |
| Costeño White Rice (750g) | S/5.60* | S/4.50 | S/4.50 | S/4.50 | S/4.50 | S/4.50 |
| Blanca Flor Plain Flour (1kg) | S/28.80* | S/7.20 | S/7.30 | S/7.30 | S/7.20 | S/7.20 |
| Dulfina brown sugar (1kg) | S/10.40* | S/5.10 | S/5.10 | S/5.10 | S/5.10 | S/5.20 |
| Quaker Porridge Oats (900g) | S/16.90* | S/12.50 | S/13.50 | S/11.90 | S/13.90 | S/13.85 |
| Danlac Butter (180g) | S/14.50 | S/12.90 | S/12.90 | S/12.90 | S/13.50 | S/13.50 |
| Primor Premium Vegetable Oil (900ml) | S/32.90* | S/10.50 | S/10.60 | S/10.70 | S/10.50 | S/11.00 |
| Avinka Chicken Legs (1kg) | S/37.50 | S/36.40 | S/43.35 | S/40.75 | S/36.40 | S/35.90 |
| Villa Natura Almonds (150g) | S/19.10 | S/12.90 | S/13.80 | S/13.90 | S/12.90 | S/16.39 |
| Wholewheat Bread Roll (small) | S/0.60* | S/7.90 | S/7.90 | S/8.90 | S/7.90 | S/7.90 |
| Ciabatta Bread Roll (small) | S/0.60 | S/7.90 | S/7.90 | S/8.90 | S/7.90 | S/7.90 |
| Fuerte Avocados (1kg) | S/18.40 | S/8.49 | S/8.49 | S/8.49 | S/9.90 | S/8.95 |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | S/9.30 | S/2.79 | S/3.29 | S/4.49 | S/3.99 | S/3.55 |
| Bananas (1kg) | S/4.80 | S/2.79 | S/3.79 | S/3.99 | S/3.89 | S/2.79 |
| Paccu Closed Cup Mushrooms (200g) | S/7.20 | S/6.00 | S/6.70 | S/6.90 | S/6.00 | S/6.55 |
| Watermelon (1kg) | S/6.90* | S/1.49 | S/1.99 | S/1.39 | S/1.29 | S/1.29 |
| Total | S/236.10 | S/160.86 | S/172.60 | S/171.61 | S/166.37 | S/168.27 |
As you can see the price difference between five of the stores is very small and I didn't notice a difference in the quality of goods between them. Flora & Fauna are significantly more expensive, however, they are supplying certified organic produce and imported health-conscious products, so higher prices are to be expected. Branded items did have an additional markup in Flora & Fauna so that will raise the cost of your shop as well.
Summary
- If you have the budget and are looking for organic produce, head to Flora & Fauna.
- If you want to buy from a Peruvian company, choose from Flora & Fauna, Vivanda or Plaza Vea.
- If you want to keep your costs down head to Plaza Vea as they were marginally cheaper than the other stores.
