August 2001, Lorelei Kusin sailed into Bocas del Toro from Cuba needing a “cheese fix”.  To her dismay, she discovered that the only cheese available here in Bocas was individually wrapped petroleum by-product.  Never being one to readily take NO for an answer, her solution was to open a very small store that concentrated on good cheese and meats.  So she rented a very small garage one block off main street and proceeded to open the first Super Gourmet.  It was immediately successful and well received and dubbed “The Gringo Grocery”.  Having satisfied her “cheese fix” and realizing that the demand for quality products would continue to grow as Bocas grew, and after three years of doing business in a garage, she decided to invest in property and expand Super Gourmet to its current location.  During the time that Super G (as it is commonly known now) has occupied the current location, Lorelei opened a second Super Gourmet in Casco Antiguo in Panama City (now owned by Blayne Ladner).

Today the store still stocks quality cheeses, wines, meat, fish, produce and fresh bread.  Additionally, they concentrate on a variety of health foods and kosher products in a clean air conditioned attractive fun environment.  The full service deli offers great sandwiches, pizzas, entrees, salads & desserts.  Super G is the biggest local promoter of organic Bocas chocolate.

And only because a very small portion of the store’s customers request it, Super G still stocks a small amount of individually wrapped petroleum by product cheese.