3.5 Marshall Islands (RMI) Food and Additional Suppliers

Other than fish and coconut products RMI import all food goods. Food is retailed through 3 main supermarkets in the retail space and provides small wholesaling function attached to their main retail form of business. These super markets K and K, Cost Price and Formosa are the main food importers into the country. They can along with other local entrepreneurs import additional food stocks and other items as required.

There is a limited food processing industry in RMI comprising a Tuna cannery and Copra processing plant. There is no other food manufacturing in RMI.

Supplies of bulk food will need to be imported to meet additional humanitarian requirements. The supermarket and hardware stores, given the diversity of products they import and the existing connections they have, will be able to import a wide range of goods for humanitarian response.

The type and quality of goods to be imported however will need to be monitored closely as lower quality cheaper goods are generally what is stocked throughout retail outlets.

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC): https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/mhl/

Marshall Islands - 3.5.1 Marshall Islands (RMI) Food Suppliers

Overview

Other than fish and coconut products, RMI imports all food goods. Food is retailed through four main supermarkets in the retail space, which provide small wholesaling functions attached to their main retail form of business. These supermarkets K and K, Cost Price, Triple J and Formosa, and are the main food importers into the country. Along with other local entrepreneurs, they can import additional food stocks if required. There is however no food processing industry in RMI.

All supermarkets sell dairy, meat products, rice, sugar, oils, cereals and pulses.

For more information on food supplier contact details, please see the following link:

4.9 Supplier Contact List

Retail Sector

The primary retail sector is comprised of three local supermarkets, who are direct importers of their products and compete. There are no global retailers.

Types of Retailers Available
Type of Retailer	Rank (1-5)
Supermarket – concentrates mainly in supplying a range of food, beverage, cleaning and sanitation products; have significant purchasing power; are often part of national/regional/global chains.	2
Convenience Store/Mini Market – medium sized shop; offers a more limited range of products than supermarkets; usually has good/stable purchasing power; may be part of chain or cooperative.	1
Permanent shop with strong supply capacity – individually/family-owned store; usually offers fewer commodities and a limited selection of brands; good storage and reliable supply options.	4
Permanent shop with limited supply capacity – individually/family-owned store; offers fewer commodities and a limited selection of brands; limited storage and unstable supply options.	5
Mobile Shop/Market Stand – individually/family-owned store; usually offers fewer commodities and a limited selection of brands; may be found at outdoor markets, camps or unstable environments.	3

Wholesale Suppliers

Wholesale suppliers are the same retail supermarkets as listed above.

Supplier Overview
Company Name	K and K Supermarkets
Address	Lagoon Road Majuro
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	Yes
Approximate Turnover in mt	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash or Card

Supplier Overview
Company Name	Cost Price
Address	Lagoon Road Uliga
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	Yes
Approximate Turnover in mt	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash or Card

Supplier Overview
Company Name	Formosa
Address	Lagoon Road Majuro
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	Limited
Approximate Turnover in mt	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash or Card

Supplier Overview
Company Name	Triple J Supermarket
Address	Ebey Dock Road Ebeye
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	Limited
Approximate Turnover in mt	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash or Card

Other Locations
Region(s)	Service Location(s)
Kwajalein	Ebeye

Primary Goods / Commodities Available
Commodities by Type (SITC Rev 4 Division Code - Title)**		Comments
00 - Live animals (other than fish, crustaceans, molluscs, etc.)	None	Communities have chickens and pigs for local consumption
01 - Meat and meat preparations	Primarily chicken and pork. Processed meats such as sausages Canned spam processed ham and bacon
02 - Dairy products and birds’ eggs	Milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, eggs
03 - Fish (not marine mammals), crustaceans, molluscs…	Fish (chilled or frozen), fish (salted or in brine), fish liver and roes…	Fish locally caught Tuna and Moi
04 - Cereals and cereal preparations	Predominantly rice, flour and pasta
05 - Vegetables and fruit	Vegetables, fruit and nuts, jams/jellies, fruit juice	Fruit and vegetable supplies are all imported and occasionally are unavailable due to delays in the arriving shipment. There is no evidence of a cool store buffer stick mechanism for such contingencies
06 - Sugars, sugar preparations and honey	Processed sugars, processed honey, fruit/nuts preserved by sugar
07 - Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof	Coffee, cocoa, chocolate, tea, mate, pepper
09 - Miscellaneous edible products and preparations	Ready-to-eat foods, margarine, sauces, soups/	There is a large range of processed food available in supermarkets
41 - Animal oils and fats	There is a limited supply of animal fats
42/43 - Fixed vegetable fats and oils, crude, refined or fractionated	Olive oil and vegetable oil

Marshall Islands - 3.5.2 Marshall Islands (RMI) Additional Suppliers

Overview

All goods are imported, and any goods required to support humanitarian missions are available on the local market only in small quantities.

Supply channels mostly come through Guam, and stocks available in Guam can be received in RMI within 1-2 weeks, depending on the timing of the shipping schedule.

For more information on suppliers’ contact details, please see the following link:

4.9 Supplier Contact List

Wholesale

Due to the limited nature of wholesale and retail suppliers in RMI, companies listed as Food Suppliers are also potential suppliers of products other than non-food items:

Supplier Overview
Company Name	Doit Best hardware
Address	Lagoon Road Majuro
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	Yes
Approximate turnover in USD - $	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash or Card

Supplier Overview
Company Name	Majuro Computer Services
Address	Lagoon Road Majuro
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	No
Approximate turnover in USD - $	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash at retail level
Other Comments or Key Information	Supplies computers and printers and offers repair service

Supplier Overview
Company Name	Office Max Stationery supplies
Address	Lagoon Road Majuro
Does the supplier have its own production / manufacturing capacity?	No
Does the supplier have its own retail capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own transport capacity?	Yes
Does the supplier have its own storage facilities?	Yes
Approximate turnover in USD - $	n/a
Payment Methods Accepted	Cash at retail level

Other Locations
Region(s)	Service Location(s)
Kwajalein	Ebeye Hardware

Primary Goods / Commodities Available
Commodities by Type (SITC Rev 4 Division Code - Title)**		Comments
24/27 - Crude materials, inedible, except fuel	Fuel wood, crude fertilizers, sand/stone/gravel	Sand and gravel obtained locally from coral reefs
51 to 59 - Chemical and related products	chlorine, pharmaceuticals, soaps, plastic tubes/pipes, chemical fertilizers	All imported
61 to 69 - Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material	Rubber tyres, wood pallets, textiles, cement, iron/steel pipe fittings, copper wire, plastic water tanks. Tools	All imported, available at Do it best hardware supply a large range of water hardware and tools
71 to 79 - Machinery and transport equipment	Engine/machine parts, generators, sewing machines, pumps, telecoms equipment, vehicles	All imported. Specific vehicle parts need to imported on a case by case basis as only limited parts are available
81 to 89 - Miscellaneous manufactured articles	Lighting fixtures, furniture, clothing, medical/surgical instruments	All imported
91/93/96/97 - Commodities not classified elsewhere	Computers and IT equipment	Majuro computers have a small range if items plus have a limited servicing department

**For FOOD products please see section 3.5.1 Food Suppliers, and for FUEL/PETROLEUM products please see section 3.1 Fuel.