As an expat, you’ve learned to adjust. You’ve adjusted to a different currency, culture, diet, perhaps even another language. However, nothing takes you back home faster than the tastes and smells of your home country.
Next time you’re feeling nostalgic, check out these 20 shops that cater specifically to expats. Many of them even let you order online, so you can enjoy your favorite foods no matter where your travels take you.
British Corner Shop
Have you left the UK but long for its foods? Check out the British Corner Shop, which will make you feel like you’re back home. Founded in 1999, the shop continues to supply UK expats with 12,000 options and counting. All your preferred brands are here, and you may just discover a new brand or two as you shop.
Dutch Expat Shop
Similarly, the Dutch Expat Shop is an ideal place for those who left the Netherlands. The store also carries Belgian eats and even has a recipes page online where expats can recall recipes from their childhood or prepare a new dish. If you really want to immerse yourself in Dutch culture, check out the store’s non-edibles section, where you can find Dutch brand kitchen and home supplies.
GermanShop24
Stefan Kuehnert, the founder of GermanShop24, enjoys discovering German foods and non-edibles, calling it a “hobby.” It eventually evolved into a job, with the store’s selection grew from 250 items in 2007 to thousands now. The company will ship all the way to China or the US, allowing those who miss Germany to be able to adjust a little easier to expat life.
Kelly’s Expat Shopping
Although based in the Netherlands, Kelly’s Expat Shopping primarily sells American and British food. There’s also a smaller but notable selection of Canadian, Italian, South African and Mexican options. Kelly’s has two locations, in The Hague and Wassenaar, but ships almost anywhere.
MyExpatShop
Get a taste of Britain, even if you live in Switzerland, at MyExpatShop. The store, founded in 2006, prides itself on its vast selection of British eats and non-edibles like household cleaning products, flags, books and games. Think of MyExpatShop as your online grocery store, where you can also stock up on fresh chutney or mincemeat.
Shop New Zealand
Shop New Zealand doesn’t call its store a store, but rather a showroom. That’s because this Auckland shop carries a variety of items New Zealanders want, like clothing, games and toys, sporting equipment, music and films, jewelry and of course, lots and lots of food. Remember brands like Arataki Honey or Cervidor? You can find these and many others here.
Chester’s Kitchen
There’s something so hearty and wonderful about baked goods. If you grew up in the UK, you know it’s tough to find chicken and beef pies or pasties made the way they were back home. Well, not anymore, when you can shop Chester’s Kitchen. Although this is much smaller in terms of inventory than many other of the shops on this list, customers can still get their frozen baked delights delivered right to their door, and that’s what matters most.
Pagony Kozert
Over in Budapest, Pagony Kozert carries an international selection of foods, including those from Hungary. They’re also a food delivery service for those who are in the area but can’t make it to the store. In fact, the shop promises delivery in 24 hours for those who live in and around Budapest. How’s that for service?
British Shop Abroad
UK expats sure have a lot of options to eat like they’re home, and yet another of these is the British Shop Abroad. The staff here scours the aisles of British grocery shops like Tesco, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer to sell the biggest brand names. Have you moved thousands of miles away from the UK and feel a little nostalgic? You can order online here from anywhere.
Expat Food Hall
What’s your cuisine of choice? Perhaps South African, Italian, German, French or Greek? You can find all these and more at Expat Food Hall. The store, based in Singapore, carries goods from that country as well as other international selections, including non-edible items like health and beauty products and homewares.
Real Dutch Food
The aptly-named Real Dutch Food wants Dutch expats living in other parts of the world to feel a little more at home. The store encourages online shopping so expats can continue enjoying their preferred food no matter where they go. You can load up on tough-to-find items too, like pet food, books, cleaning products and over-the-counter medications.
UKGoods
If you’re a UK expat living in the US, UKGoods is the store for you. Fill your cart to the brim with overseas delights like Galaxy chocolate, McVities biscuits and Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts. This store, founded by Donna and Keith Gordon, is based in Hoboken, New Jersey and ships nationwide.
Macrocenter
Do you crave American food but you’re not sure where to find it in Istanbul? Stop by Macrocenter, which has this and more. Macrocenter also has a recipes page on its website so anyone can cook meals native to Istanbul.
Britsuperstore
There is no shortage of shops for UK expats, with Britsuperstore another good choice. No matter where you hang your hat these days, you can get British delicacies shipped there, as the store offers international shipping. It sometimes only takes 48 hours for food to arrive; the longest wait time is generally 10 days (excluding weekends).
Epermarket
In Shanghai, China, shop international cuisine at Epermarket. The site named itself on “a combination of the word ‘e-commerce’ with the French term ‘hypermarket’ or superstore.” Store owner Jean Yves Lu grew up in China but relocated to France, where he sought “to provide the expatriate community with the products they miss from a place they can trust.”
Expat Shop
Although its name is simple, Expat Shop is quite a unique find considering its food comes from South Africa and it ships internationally. Its main aim is “to provide South African expats a website that would service as your ‘One Stop SA Shop’!” To that end, you’ll find just about every South African product you might be missing abroad, including candies and desserts, baked goods, spices and sauces and maize.
Fatbag Korea
You may be a long way from the US, but at Fatbag Korea, you’re never too far from the tastes of home. The store has employees who speak English so expats new to Korea can still find what they’re looking for. Going vegan? You can get everything you need at this store to adhere to a dairy-free diet. Want fresh deli meats? You can even order these online.
Scottish Food Store
A family business based in Balmedie, Scotland, the Scottish Food Store offers Scottish food staples from its online store, shipping locally and internationally. Expats can nab everything from haggis and skink soup to chocolate tea cakes and Scotch broth.
City Shop
Those living and working in Shanghai should add City Shop to their list of stores to check out. This expat-friendly store imports the majority of its foods (about 80 percent, it says) directly from their country of origin, such as beef from Australia and wine from Italy. City Shop even sometimes invites renowned chefs to lead cooking classes.
Nogogo
Another Shanghai store, Nogogo specializes in international foods, so an expat living in China for the first time can still eat the way they’re used to. The store even has organic and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions.
Images by: Lan Pham, Cel Lisboa, Jonathan Niederhoffer, Jez Timms, Baher Khairy
The post The Taste of Home: 20 Shops Catering to Expats appeared first on CurrencyFair.