Suguo is the “shop-on-every-corner” retail chain which is, by and large, a lifeline for Nanjing residents, keeping the overwhelming majority of the local populace fed, dressed, charged, and well, pretty much, just alive in general.
Suguo comes in many shapes and forms. Owned by China Resources, an absolute juggernaut of a company with its fingers in every large-sized pie in the Middle Kingdom, Suguo started life in 1996 in Nanjing as Jiangsu Fruit (江苏水果; providing its abbreviated form, 苏果). The chain now has 2,000-plus stores all over the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, Hubei, Hebei and Henan.
Such an omnipresence puts Suguo in the top ten of China’s supermarkets, and with one step inside, it’s easy to see why. Therein, some of that you may desire, a lot you would never want, and quite a few surprises.
Using the Self-Service Checkouts at Suguo in Nanjing
First up, how to leave Suguo! The self-checkout user interface may only be in Chinese but this is no barrier to their use, given that one only need to know which button to press to initiate the process. The system first requests a mobile phone number, used as Suguo VIP member identification, but few people realise it is not required. After that, pictures accompany the Chinese to take you through the rest of the process. Payment can be made by WeChat, AliPay, less-popular apps and cards with UnionPay.
The Tesco Alliance with Suguo
Urban legend has it that Tesco wanted to open a supermarket in Nanjing but dumped the idea when discovering Suguo’s near dominance of the market. Heeding the mantra, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”, Tesco and our Nanjing beloved struck a deal whereby Tesco’s branded products are sold through the Suguo network of stores.
Hence, we can be the happy purchasers of products such as bargain-basement, but quality, washing-up liquid, crisps, jam and last but not least, wine. Leading us nicely to…
The Esoteric Imported Goods Section
A treasure trove of imported jams, salad dressings, pasta, all kinds of nuts, raisins, coffee (Tesco again, even), crackers, biscuits and beer; herein are many items that expats in Nanjing inevitably end up craving.
Therein also the imported wine section. At this point, it is necessary to expand on the term “imported”. By way of an example, China sells more Bordeaux red each year than the entire output of France. The logic is simple. Couple that with the fact that headaches after a bottle of wine purchased in China have little to do with how much you drank the night before, and you have your explanation; a lot of wine in China is simply fake.
In Suguo’s case, it’s Tesco to the rescue. Not only are the wines genuine, but they are also among the most competitively priced. Look for the little black and white “Selected by Tesco” labels, or even better, “Tesco’s Finest”, and have a nice evening!
Nanjing’s Cheapest Baguette is in Suguo
When it comes to the bread section, with Suguo it’s generally a good idea to steer well clear. Except that is, if you make a beeline for the baguette basket. Certainly Suguo is not going to pick up any bakery awards, but for those who live far from better options, this is a dependable baguette that works very well for garlic bread. At ¥4.50 (ish), this is also without doubt Nanjing’s cheapest baguette.
Dairy; Hidden Gems Amongst the Never-Ending Yoghurt
Cheese is not happening at Suguo, other than the sliced processed variety. On the other hand, cream cheese is, and a fairly respectable Philadelphia rip off will set you back just ¥20. Extra bonus is the fact that the plastic box in which it comes can also be repurposed for odds and ends. Same goes for butter, minus the handy box. On a good day, you may also find some imported butter, cream and grated mozzarella.
Some think Suguo to be old and staid. Not entirely true. Bringing the chain into the 21st century, we announce that Suguo now carries free range eggs. Fingers crossed that the promotional offer that was spotted in a store in August, 2021, sticks and they become a regular fixture.
Meat Choices; Count on Your Local Suguo Butcher
Only the utterly naive or completely foolhardy would contemplate to buy beef in Suguo, or virtually anywhere else in Nanjing for that matter. If you absolutely must, ask the butchers behind the counter to put it through the pork mincer. This they will do, but only under duress.
Coming to fresh chicken, Suguo offers much better than you might first imagine. Many of the large Suguo stores stock three kinds of fresh chicken. Two are out in the open, on ice with other meats; a “cheapy” and a slightly pricier option. Yet, the premium offering is to be found elsewhere, at the specialty butcher counter to be exact, with a dedicated member of staff waiting to serve you a succulent breast or two. You will be happy you forked out more.
Frozen Peas & Pizza
Items in Suguo’s frozen section vary considerably from store to store. Most will offer decent frozen mixed vegetables (usually corn, carrots and peas) while some have frozen pizzas by German brand, Dr. Oetker, that are acceptable, barely, and some interesting curry fried rice options, plus similar.
Clothing a No No but How About a Suguo Bra?
While probably best to stay clear for the most part; aside from the aesthetic, Suguo clothing is rarely a fit for the average-sized foreigner. All is not entirely lost, as The Nanjinger conducted a survey of best outlets to buy ladies underwear a few years ago, and Suguo surprisingly fared well. While this correspondent is hardly in a position to comment, readers can find the full low down in “Buying Underwear in Nanjing 101”.
Note that the information for the article was compiled by visits to multiple large Suguo stores over a number of years and that not all branches carry the same inventory (at the same time).
Happy shopping at Suguo!
