São Paulo – A region with great numbers of Brazilians in Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley also offers the possibility of a grocery shopping that will bring some of Brazil to the Arab country. Founded by Lebanese Youssef Sahily, Brasil Supermarket offers Brazilian food, drinks and clothing in two stores, in the cities of Riyaq and Chtaura.
“Around 40% of the products come from Brazil. We have cheese bread, Brazilian chicken drumstick, chocolates by Bauducco and Garoto, guaraná Antarctica and Xereta guaraná, Pelé coffee, coconut water, Tio João rice, beans, Hering clothing, etc. “, says Hussein Sahily, Youssef’s son.
Born in Brazil while his parentes lived in Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Hussein isn’t fluent in Portuguese, a language he doesn’t practice since he was six years old, when he came back to Lebanon. But his parents continue to speak the language with the supermarket’s clients. “A lot of Brazilians come to our supermarket, so they [his parents] speak in Portuguese”, he says.
Hussein says that the family has relatives in Brazil. When he lived here, his father worked in the wholesale sector. Back to Lebanon, he decided to open his own supermarket, with his brother as his partner. Today, six members of the family help run the business, including Hussein.
The first store, in Riyaq, opened in 1998. The second, in Chtaura, was inaugurated last year. “There are a lot of Brazilians that live here and cook Brazilian chicken drumsticks and cheese bread. They sell the frozen products to us”, says the businessman. According to him, besides Brazilians who live in the Bekaa Valley, the supermarket also attracts tourists coming from Brazil.
Some of the products, says Hussein, are imported by the family directly from Brazil, while others are purchased with distributors in Lebanon. Items such as clothing, towels and bed sheets are among those that are bought from Brazilian manufacturers.
These products, by the way, are a hit in the supermarkets, says the businessman. “They are from good brands, made 100% with cotton, which people around here like. Even those that don’t know the brand purchase them and later recommend to others [clients] to also buy”, he says.
Addresses
Brasil Supermarket
Riyaq:
Brasil Building, Zahle – Baalbak main road
Chtaura:
Brasil Building near Kab Elias cross road
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Brasil-Supermarket/1486758234874895?sk=info&tab=page_info
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
