Decò and Conad are the two Italian supermarket chains we visited in Sicily, featuring many locals, few tourists, and much better prices compared to tourist shops.
Their products—wine, butter, tomato sauce, coffee, beer—indicate the trends and preferences of Italians: what they put on their plate and in their glass, which production regions of Sicily or wider Italy they prefer, what the aesthetics and slogans are that convince them as consumers.
Below is a photo story with images of gastronomic products from the aforementioned supermarkets, as well as from gas stations and street food stalls.
Lactose-Free Butter
From the large Italian cooperative group GranTerre, which trades PDO and PGI cold cuts and cheeses. The butter’s mascot is Topolino Emiliano, the white dairy-connoisseur mouse originating from the Emilia region.
Cooking Cream
For soups and gratins, for carbonara and penne alla vodka.
Dark Chocolate-Covered Almonds by Maxtris
A Neapolitan family business that started in the 1970s by Salvatore Prisco and is now managed by the third generation.
Tonaca di Monaco (“Monk’s Habit”) Coffee
Produced and roasted in Palermo, the capital of Sicily.
Birra Messina
Unfiltered blonde beer from Messina, Sicily, featuring crystal salt from local salt flats.
Historic Birra Moretti from Udine in Northern Italy
In its red (La Rossa) version, made from Italian roasted malt.
Hard yellow cheeses or fresh ones with olives (alle olive), black pepper (con pepe nero), and hot pepper (con peperoncino). The “Io Sono Siciliano” certification denotes their domestic production. In the background, local jams flavored with orange, grapefruit, and Syracuse lemon.
Mazzetto di Peperoncino
A bouquet of fresh red hot chili peppers.
Chupa Chups
Pocket-size gummy pizza, a widely available souvenir we found at a gas station café.
Image of Christ in a Central Spot of the Supermarket
To watch over employees and visitors. At the top, a bunch of herbs tied with a red ribbon is visible for good luck (portafortuna).
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