I will be provisioning for a 6 month cruise in the Bahamas in a large boat. I would like to buy food in the LARGE (2gallon looking) cans and 5 Pound Bags of dried foods. Like I used to see in the cafateria in school. I've looked on MSN and EBay however have not found out where to get bulk food from. Any ideas??
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School is still in....
I would drop by your local school and ask where they purchase there product. I would ask all the local meat markets for avice and only then go on line. Once you go on line the prices go wild. You will find sources but the price will be inflated. Some of this you will have to decide for your self. Yes the online places will make statements but rarely warrant thier product. If you do the research your will cut costs and know what you have. r.w.landau r.w.landau
I would drop by your local school and ask where they purchase there product. I would ask all the local meat markets for avice and only then go on line. Once you go on line the prices go wild. You will find sources but the price will be inflated. Some of this you will have to decide for your self. Yes the online places will make statements but rarely warrant thier product. If you do the research your will cut costs and know what you have. r.w.landau r.w.landau
Bulk means bulk spoilage
If you really want bulk, talk to your local restaurants and find out who their supplier is (probably Fleming Foods or such). But also remember that if a gallon of salsa is opened it has to be eaten, cooled, or lost. Big cans mean big potential spoilage and waste (unless your crew is the Navy!) Try Sam's also.
If you really want bulk, talk to your local restaurants and find out who their supplier is (probably Fleming Foods or such). But also remember that if a gallon of salsa is opened it has to be eaten, cooled, or lost. Big cans mean big potential spoilage and waste (unless your crew is the Navy!) Try Sam's also.
Think smaller...
as in vacuum bagged, at least for storage. Sysco is a large distributor to the restaurant industry that might help. Otherwise, Sam's makes the most sense to me. Might check in on the Cruising World Bulletin Board and ask.
as in vacuum bagged, at least for storage. Sysco is a large distributor to the restaurant industry that might help. Otherwise, Sam's makes the most sense to me. Might check in on the Cruising World Bulletin Board and ask.
bulk foods
Large restaurants and institutions buy dry goods from suppliers like Sysco and S R Rykoff. Restaurants use many suppliers for things like dairy, frozen foods, bakery goods etc. that have sales reps and maintain accounts and regular delivery schedules. You need to have a commercial account. If you know someone who has a restaurant you might talk them into placing an order for you, but, frankly I doubt you'd save much money. The reason restaurants buy in bulk is because they use that much in a week or so, not 6 months. Restaurants never buy 6 months supply of anything because that ties up their working capital on inventory. The goal is to run out of inventory on the last day of the billing cycle and replentish on the first day. If you can't find what you want at Costco, your best bet is to go to Smart & Final, which is a chain of retail restaurant supply stores that cater to the smaller businesses. Check the Yellow Pages! 6 months worth of food is a lot. If you buy in bulk you should break it down into smaller, more useable portions and vacuum pack them. Then you only open what you need for that day or the next.
Large restaurants and institutions buy dry goods from suppliers like Sysco and S R Rykoff. Restaurants use many suppliers for things like dairy, frozen foods, bakery goods etc. that have sales reps and maintain accounts and regular delivery schedules. You need to have a commercial account. If you know someone who has a restaurant you might talk them into placing an order for you, but, frankly I doubt you'd save much money. The reason restaurants buy in bulk is because they use that much in a week or so, not 6 months. Restaurants never buy 6 months supply of anything because that ties up their working capital on inventory. The goal is to run out of inventory on the last day of the billing cycle and replentish on the first day. If you can't find what you want at Costco, your best bet is to go to Smart & Final, which is a chain of retail restaurant supply stores that cater to the smaller businesses. Check the Yellow Pages! 6 months worth of food is a lot. If you buy in bulk you should break it down into smaller, more useable portions and vacuum pack them. Then you only open what you need for that day or the next.
You don't indicate what you have for food
storage or what size crew you have. You must plan 2500 calories per person per day plus a gallon of water per person per day. Dry foods average 1500 calories per pound. Do you plan to reprovision along the way?
storage or what size crew you have. You must plan 2500 calories per person per day plus a gallon of water per person per day. Dry foods average 1500 calories per pound. Do you plan to reprovision along the way?
What do you call a large boat?
If you buy in bulk you will have very little variety unless you have huge storage resources includying refrigerated space. I could understand if you were going accross the Pacific Ocean, but to the Bahamas I don't see the point. All of the larger islands have supermarkets stocked with a good selection of products. The prices on the average are just a little bit higher than in the US. Some items like paper towels, candy bars and some items of personal preference can be expensive so stock up on those but the majority of the products you can get there. Buy your items where the locals do. Seafood can be found reasonable, meats and poultry are of adequate quality. Dry foods like rice, beans, pasta, flour are readely available. Water is scarce in the islands and you have to purchase it but is no more expensive than the filtered bottle water we consume here. If you go to the out-islands do stock up on food and water for the duration of that side trip as the prices go up and availability declines the farthest you get from the main towns. Have a good trip. PS: Their local beer "KALIC" is preety good.
If you buy in bulk you will have very little variety unless you have huge storage resources includying refrigerated space. I could understand if you were going accross the Pacific Ocean, but to the Bahamas I don't see the point. All of the larger islands have supermarkets stocked with a good selection of products. The prices on the average are just a little bit higher than in the US. Some items like paper towels, candy bars and some items of personal preference can be expensive so stock up on those but the majority of the products you can get there. Buy your items where the locals do. Seafood can be found reasonable, meats and poultry are of adequate quality. Dry foods like rice, beans, pasta, flour are readely available. Water is scarce in the islands and you have to purchase it but is no more expensive than the filtered bottle water we consume here. If you go to the out-islands do stock up on food and water for the duration of that side trip as the prices go up and availability declines the farthest you get from the main towns. Have a good trip. PS: Their local beer "KALIC" is preety good.
Thanks for all the ideas
Thanks for all the advice and please excuse my late response. I've been finishing up at work and packing. Time has slipped away. Today was my last day at work. My internet conectability will be a bit scarce as I travel from New Orleans to Texas and then to Jacksonville Fl. I've called to the Bahamas and found prices are not as bad as I thought. Water is about $1.00 per gallon. To fill tanks. So I have bought a watermaker. To answer someones question Intermission is 47 feet long. Not very big however the biggest I've piloted.
Thanks for all the advice and please excuse my late response. I've been finishing up at work and packing. Time has slipped away. Today was my last day at work. My internet conectability will be a bit scarce as I travel from New Orleans to Texas and then to Jacksonville Fl. I've called to the Bahamas and found prices are not as bad as I thought. Water is about $1.00 per gallon. To fill tanks. So I have bought a watermaker. To answer someones question Intermission is 47 feet long. Not very big however the biggest I've piloted.
Water
I don't know. I hope the person at the Marina in the Bahamas was mistaken or just in a hurry. To be safe I bought a 24 gallon per day watermaker. I plan to let it run constantly for long periods of time. In a couple of weeks I should have a web site (onintermission.com) come and share in our adventure. Thanks again WC
I don't know. I hope the person at the Marina in the Bahamas was mistaken or just in a hurry. To be safe I bought a 24 gallon per day watermaker. I plan to let it run constantly for long periods of time. In a couple of weeks I should have a web site (onintermission.com) come and share in our adventure. Thanks again WC
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