Provisioning

Provisioning for the BVI Charterer

Food in the BVI is a bit more expensive than most places in the U.S., but availability and variety are not the problems that many think or assume. Fresh produce and quality meat and fish are readily available. Beer, wine, and spirits are inexpensive. The three main companies are Bobby's Market Place, Ample Hamper, and Riteway. They all actively provide the charter industry with full service, including online pre-ordering, free delivery, charter packages, and very comprehensive web sites.

The Four Biggies...

Click on the 4 logos below to see these business's excellent web sites for product lists and to order online.

	Bobby's Market Place is considered by many to get the "best all around" award with a huge selection, decent prices, free delivery right to your yacht refrigerator, and cheerful online or phone ordering. Bobby's is also very popular with locals, and has the most extensive hours in the BVI (7:00 am - 12:00 midnight, 365 days a year). Tortola Locations: (1) Their large store is in the center of Wickham's Cay 1 (Road Town); (2) A more recent, smaller store opened at Cane Garden Bay in April, 2004.
	Riteway is considered the most competitively priced, especially at their flagship store in Pasea, viewed by many to be the best supermarket in the BVI. Their stores vary in size and style, and are known for superior meats and produce. They even have some specialty stores (listed below). Their main store in Road Town They strive for excellent customer service, and are well-liked by many locals. Tortola Locations: Five stores - (1) Pasea Estate (Road Town); (2) Road Reef Plaza & Marina (next to TMM); (3) Flemming St. (Road Town); (4) "Ritebreeze" at Seabreeze Marina, (East End); (5) Fine Foods (East End).
	OneMart Superstore is a large supermaket with a huge range of products, and reportedly some of the best pricing of any of the larger food markets. They also have a reputation of high quality meat at very competitive prices. Locations (both Road Town): Waterfront Dr.- Purcell area (Main branch), Huntums Ghut (new store)
	Ample Hamper stores have historically had smaller facilities, more limited hours, and known to be a bit more pricey, but was clearly the most upscale, with it's delectable selection of meats, fish, wines, gourmet items, and prepared sandwiches. A good combination for provisioning is to get your standard items at the Pasea Riteway or Bobby's, then pick up your specialty items at Ample Hamper. Tortola Locations: Three stores - (1) Inner Harbour Marina (Road Town); (2) Frenchman's Cay (West End); (3) Hodge's Creek Marina (East End) - closed as of March 2004.

Other Provisioning Sources On Tortola

Name	Web Site	Description
Ms. Penguin	http://www.mspenguin.com/	This is a catering outfit for charterers and folks in rented villas offering their "heat & eat gourmet meals." They enthusiastically claim that "these are not just frozen TV dinners, they are Gourmet Meals, frozen for your convenience." You pre-order online and free delivery is available, if several days in advance. Location: Road Town
BVI Fishing Complex	no website 284-494-3491	BVI Fishing Complex is considered to be the best source of fresh, local seafood. They also sell fishing supplies. Open weekdays, and half day Saturday. Location: Baughers Bay, Road Town (next to Port Purcell)
Sailor's Ketch	www.sailorsketch.com	This is a great source for frozen and prepared seafood. Some of the seafood is local from folks on Anegada, and other products are brought in from around the world. They will deliver free to your charterboat, as well. Check out their web site. It will make the seafood lover's heart sing. Location: Penn's Landing, East End
Road Town Wholesale	no specific website, but see Riteway at http://www.rtwbvi.com/	Located beside the Riteway and owned by them is their cash and carry wholesale outlet. This is a good place for stocking up on bulk items like drinks. bnooze, and dry goods. Location: Pasea Estate, Road Town
Tico Importing Co.	http://www.ticobvi.com/	This is another discount/bulk outlet, popular to charterers for buying alcohol and other drink items. Tico allows pre-order online and free delivery. Location: Wickham's Cay 2, Road Town
Caribbean Cellars	http://caribbeancellars.com 284-494-4483	This is a wholesale and retail outlet for liquor, beer, and wine,offering free delivery to boats and villas. Location: Port Purcell, Road Town
Kmark's Gourmet Grocery	no website 284-494-4649	This is another choice offering a fine selection for provisioning charterers, especially known for specialty items not typically found in many supermarkets. Location: Port Purcell, Road Town
Port Purcell Market	no website 284-494-2724	This is a favorite grocery market to some because of its friendly, family run atmosphere. Location: Port Purcell, Road Town
Harbour Market	www.harbourmarket.com	Newly opened in late 2004, and possibly owned by Riteway, this store varied product line, with fresh baked goods, frozen goods, and a substantial wine selection. Location: Soper's Hole, West End
Fine Foods	no specific website, but see Riteway at http://www.rtwbvi.com/	Owned by Riteway, this store offers a large and varied selection of fresh & frozen produce, kitchen staples, liquor and more. Location: Long Look, East End
Trellis Bay Market	no website 284-495-1421	A popular, little market handy to the airport, folks anchored at Trellis Bay, and those wanting to provision before grabbing the North Sound Express (ferry) to Virgin Gorda.. Location: Trellis Bay, Beef Island
Supa Valu Ltd.	no website 284-494-3630	A popular market known for their fresh and frozen meats and seafood. They also sell some produce and dry goods. Location: Wickhams Cay 1, Road Town
Cane Garden Bay Seafood Suprette	no website 284-495-9455	This is a good source for fresh, local seafood as well as a range of groceries, fresh bread, and spirits. Location: Cane Garden Bay

MAPS... Are you not sure where some of these locations like Wickham's Cay 2 and the Pasea Estate are?

Click HERE to see a map of Tortola, or Click HERE to see a map of Road Town.

A few thoughts about provisioning ahead of time... A good combination approach to provisioning at the outset of your charter is to pre-order (and have delivered to your boat) the "large and easy stuff" like beer, soda, water, canned goods, condiments, etc. Then, on your day of departure, while part of your crew is being debriefed on the boat, someone can go pick out the things that one prefers to see before buying (meats, produce, wine, gourmet items, etc.). This system is highly preferred, by most charterers, over ordering provisions through your charter company - they add a fee, and you never get to see what you're getting ahead of time. Don't over-buy perishables on your first day. You'll find plenty of shops during charter on other islands, as shown below.

Also, many people are not sure how much they want to eat on the boat, versus ashore. A popular approach is to provision for eating breakfast and lunch on the boat, and then, eat dinners ashore. I am usually not funded for quite that much land food, so my budget-conscious version is to have drinks and our own h'or douvres, while relaxing at anchorage, watching the sunset develop. Then, we go ashore, and get a smattering of local foods to pick at, while we have more drinks, and hopefully, listen to some music. Each to his/her own.

A third issue is about bringing food from home. There is a large range of opinions out there on this. I know people who bring coolers of frozen meat, entrees, sauces, etc. Personally, I think this is a lot of hassle to endure, just to save a few bucks, and enjoy your foods from home. It's especially annoying if you are flying into STT, and ferrying over to Tortola, versus flying directly to Tortola. That being said, most everyone I know does bring a selection of things that they prefer from home. Spices, real ground peanut butter, a preferred cereal, a favorite brand of coffee or tea, etc. I do all of the above, including whole wheat flat bread for making roll-up sandwiches (wraps) - they make the best sandwiches for carrying around a boat, while eating. :)

It is recommended that you contact your credit card company in advance, so there won't be any hold up when the purchase is processed for your delivery. Credit Card companies sometimes create delays, because an overseas phone order is considered "suspicious." Tell them the dates of your entire BVI visit, as well. Also, make sure that when you use a credit card in the BVI, the business is not adding a significant fee. Furthermore, just about all credit card companies now add an "foriegn transaction fee" - as of May, 2009, I believe that Capital One is one of the only cards that does not add this little insult.

Provisioning On the Other Islands

Name	Web Site	Island	Description
Road Town Wholesale (Gorda branch)	no specific website, but see Riteway at http://www.rtwbvi.com/ 284 495-5228	Gorda	Wholesale pricing on a range of food and drink products. This is an important resource for mid-charter provisioning, located on the road to The Baths.
Supa Valu Ltd.	no website 284-495-6500	Gorda	This is a popular market known for their fresh and frozen meats and seafood, as well as veggies. They also sell some produce and dry goods. (in The Valley)
Buck's Food Market	http://www.bucksfoodmarket.com 284-495-5423 (VGYH)	Gorda	This is a small grocery store with a broad range of products, with locations at the Yacht Harbour, Spanish Town (aka The Valley) and a small store at Gunn Creek (North Sound).
Buck's also has a wholesale outlet	no specific website, but see-- http://www.bucksfoodmarket.com 284-495-5423 (VGYH)	Gorda	This is new in 2009 - it's located just down the road from Road Town Wholesale,
Rosy's Enterprises Rosy's Supermarket Rosy's House & Home	http://www.rosysenterprisesvg.com/ (284) 495 6765 / Supermarket (284) 495 5245 / Supermarket (284) 495 5972 / House & Home	Gorda	This is considered to be one of the most worthy provisioning stops on Gorda. -- Spanish Town (The Valley). There is a supermarket, as well as a "department store" for household needs.
The Chefs Pantry	http://thechefspantryatleverickbay.com/ 284-495-7154	Gorda	This pretty upscale market is definitely worth a look, with its wide selection of gourmet items - including fresh seafood, specialty meats and cheeses, fresh baked breads and pastries, coffees, fine wines and spirits. The produce is less reliable. This is part of Leverick Bay Resort & Marina .
Penn's Fresh Seafood Market	no website 284-495-5803	Gorda	This is a source for fresh seafood in Spanish Town.
Rudy's Superette	no website 284-485-9282	Jost Van Dyke	A small superette in Great Harbour.
Christine's Bakery	no website 284-495-9281	Jost Van Dyke	This is a good stop for fresh baked goods to eat for a pleasant breakfast, or to take back to the boat. (Great Harbour)
Nature's Basket	no website 284-495-9312	Jost Van Dyke	This is a good source for fresh vegetables and locally grown, fresh fruit. (Great Harbour)
Pam's Kitchen	Pam's Kitchen is closed.	Anegada	Located by Neptune's Treasure, this was one of the better sources for baked goods in the BVI. She also sold homemade jams, chutneys, salsas and hot sauces. At 5:30 in the evening, she'd dinghy out to the yachts on anchorage with baked goods for sale.
Neptune's Treasure	www.neptunestreasure.com/	Anegada	This is really a restaurant and fabulous guest house, but most of the significant BVI fishing comes out of here, so it's worth checking for seafood availability, if you're "in the neighborhood."
Faulkner's Country Store	N/A	Anegada	This is a small country store with a modest selection of dry goods. There are a few other very small grocers in the "settlement," so you may have to look around to find what you need.
Other Sources on Anegada	* There's a decent little market just outside the gate to Anegada Reef Hotel - name unknown. * Sue's Purple Turtle (limited) * Anegada Reef Hotel (limited)	Anegada	These locations could come in handy in a pinch.

* Note: In virtually every settlement, near every charter base, and at every anchorage, there is at least one small "superette" for some basic provisions. I have tried to give you some of the best known sources for provisioning used by BVI charterers, but there is always a place nearby to get a carton of milk or a bottle of rum.

~~~~ Here's another handy list of food markets (grouped by island) on TMM's website. ~~~~

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