The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

The age-old proverb ‘Size doesn’t matter’ really
applies to Egypt’s
newest addition to supermarket chains, Spinney’s.

With countless aisles as far as the eye could see,
the supermarket’s branch at Citystars really does stock
almost everything. They carry all the leading brands (and some obscure ones)
for all your basic culinary and home needs. Shampoos, detergents, packaged
dairy products; you name it – they’ve got it.

A great thing about Spinney’s is that their aisles are
strategically arranged; so you won’t have to run from one end of the humungous
store to the other for a bottle of water after you’ve finished picking your
soda – the most relevant items are stacked together in adjacent aisles.  

However, the fresh food sections are disappointing for
an international chain: as soon as you hit the produce section, you’re greeted
with a disturbing smell of fish, produce and Dettol all wrapped up in one
whiff.

While their produce section is huge and offers both
local and imported products (you can get the ever-elusive pineapple here), it
was hardly impressive. At the time of this reviewer’s visit; the display was
muddled and many of the fruits and veggies had some serious bruises. The items
here are slightly more expensive than you would get them at a street vendor,
and not really all that much better in quality.

Though cheese rarely makes an appearance on their deli
counter; Spinney’s does pack an overwhelming variety of local deli meats that
you can buy by the kilo (69LE for smoked luncheon). Next to their deli counter
is a quaint display of ancient-looking barrels, packed with spices (not all
fresh) and pickles, which probably look better than they taste.

If you’re insistent on cheese, Spinney’s carries
endless brands of packaged types, mostly local with a couple of imported
cheeses like everyone’s favourite rotten blue cheese, straight from Germany
(7LE).

Spinney’s also
carries a huge collection of home appliances and electronics at the last bunch
of aisles at the east side of the store. Most televisions
here are either Hisense or Samsung; and while they may not be the best of
brands, they are better options for the price-conscious consumer.

This place also has a huge section dedicated to
clothing; and while we advise against buying clothes from a wall-mart
equivalent, there were a couple of cheap quality polo shirts for around 40LE
that seemed acceptable.

Just
as big as Carrefour but not as good, Spinney’s is a good option if you’re
looking for a cheap printer, television or some ‘enlightening’ local cologne.