The Shocking Truth: Supermarket 23 Prices And Cuba's MLC Crisis (Live Update December 2025)
For many families in Cuba, the phrase "Supermarket 23 todos los productos y precios hoy en vivo" is more than a search query—it is a daily necessity, representing a crucial lifeline for essential goods. As of late December 2025, Supermarket 23 operates as a key online agency, primarily utilized by the Cuban diaspora to purchase and send vital supplies like food, meat, home appliances, and personal care products directly to their relatives on the island, bypassing the severely strained state-run distribution system. The prices listed on this platform are not in the local Cuban Peso (CUP) but are denominated in foreign currencies, typically Euros or US Dollars, which underscores the profound economic duality and the constant volatility of the Moneda Libremente Convertible (MLC) market that governs access to these goods.
The urgency of "hoy en vivo" (today live) reflects the rapid, almost hourly, fluctuations in Cuba's informal currency market, which directly impacts the purchasing power of Cubans who rely on remittances to shop in these foreign-currency-denominated stores. The economic landscape, marked by persistent shortages and high inflation, makes a real-time price check on platforms like Supermarket 23 essential for survival planning, turning a simple online store into a barometer of the nation's ongoing food and economic crisis. The prices discussed here are a snapshot from late 2025, highlighting the extreme cost of basic necessities in a nation grappling with scarcity.
The MLC Crisis: Cuba's Economic Barometer and Price Volatility
To understand the prices on Supermarket 23, one must first grasp the role of the MLC and the parallel exchange rate. The Moneda Libremente Convertible (MLC) is an electronic foreign currency used in Cuba's state-run stores, which are often the only source for imported, quality goods. Supermarket 23, while an independent online agency, prices its products in Euros or Dollars, which are then converted by Cuban recipients via the highly volatile informal market.
The informal exchange rate is the true indicator of economic hardship. As of early December 2025, the MLC was reportedly trading at approximately 350 Cuban Pesos (CUP) in the informal market, a stark contrast to the official rate. This massive disparity means that the cost of a basic necessity, when converted back to the local currency, is astronomically high for the average Cuban worker whose salary is paid in CUP. This constant devaluation of the CUP against the MLC fuels a perpetual cycle of inflation, making up-to-the-minute price information from Supermarket 23 critical for any family making a purchase.
Snapshot: Essential Product Prices on Supermarket 23 (Late 2025)
Supermarket 23 specializes in delivering essential food packages (known as "combos"), meat, and durable goods. The platform's prices are a reflection of the high cost of importing goods into Cuba and the premium placed on reliability and availability. These products are often the only way for families to secure items that are either unavailable or strictly rationed in state stores.
- YEYA Combos (Food Packages): These are popular, pre-packaged assortments designed to provide a basic food supply. For example, a "Breakfast Combo Yeya" was recently listed at approximately €21.54. Other options include "Basic pork combo" and general grocery/personal care combos.
- Meat and Protein: Protein remains one of the most expensive and sought-after items. A "Nat box of chicken leg quarters" (approximately 10 kg / 22 lb) is a common purchase, reflecting the large quantities needed to sustain a family. In the informal market, general chicken prices were reported around 420 CUP per pound.
- Staple Goods: The platform offers staples like rice, cooking oil, eggs, and coffee. These items are the backbone of the Cuban diet, and their prices are heavily scrutinized. For comparison, general food prices in the informal market in December 2025 show the high cost of goods like rice and cooking oil.
The price for a single combo or a box of chicken, while seemingly modest in Euros, represents a significant portion of a Cuban family's monthly budget when converted at the informal MLC rate, highlighting the dependency on foreign remittances for survival.
The Logistics of Survival: Delivery and Product Availability
The Supermarket 23 experience is not just about price; it's about the logistics of delivery, which adds another layer of complexity and cost. The company offers deliveries throughout Cuba, operating on the Cuban time zone (GMT-5). The delivery fees and specific delivery days are crucial factors that families must consider when placing an order, as the reliability of delivery can be a matter of life and death when food security is on the line.
Key Entities and Terms for Topical Authority
To fully grasp the "Supermarket 23" ecosystem, several key economic and logistical entities must be understood:
- Moneda Libremente Convertible (MLC): The electronic currency tied to foreign exchange, used for imported goods. Its value dictates the real cost of Supermarket 23 products for Cubans.
- Cuban Peso (CUP): The national currency, in which most wages are paid. Its weak value against the MLC/USD creates the extreme price disparity.
- YEYA Products: A brand frequently featured on Supermarket 23, often associated with imported food and combo packages like the "Yeya apple flavoured drink" or "YEYA imported white egg (30 U)."
- Informal Market (Mercado Informal): The black market for currency exchange, where the MLC and USD trade at their true, highly inflated value against the CUP.
- Tiendas en MLC: The physical state-run stores in Cuba that only accept MLC payments, often the only place to find certain products, and where prices have increased considerably in the last year.
- Aduana de Cuba: The Cuban Customs Agency, whose regulations (like the temporary extension of free import for food, toiletries, and medicine until early 2025) directly affect the supply chain for agencies like Supermarket 23.
The availability of products on Supermarket 23 is constantly changing, with categories ranging from groceries and meat (beef, pork, chicken) to large home appliances. The platform's constant publication of new products and services, alongside its focus on fast, safe, and reliable service, underscores its role as a vital, if expensive, alternative to the domestic Cuban market.
The Future Outlook: Prices in 2026 and Beyond
Looking ahead to 2026, the outlook remains heavily dependent on the stability of the MLC exchange rate and government policies regarding imports. Analysts predict that unless there is a significant policy shift or a massive influx of foreign currency, the prices of food and essential goods, both on Supermarket 23 and in the local informal market, will continue their upward trend. The "live" price updates from Supermarket 23 will, therefore, remain a critical daily check for thousands of families attempting to navigate one of the most challenging economic environments in the region. The ability to send a "Basic pork combo" or a box of chicken is not a luxury purchase; it is a fundamental act of support against the backdrop of a persistent food crisis.
Detail Author:
- Name : Reece Hoppe MD
- Username : heidenreich.aiyana
- Email : jovan51@frami.com
- Birthdate : 1982-02-09
- Address : 57747 Cronin Keys Hoytton, VT 29945
- Phone : +16188870651
- Company : Fay Group
- Job : Painting Machine Operator
- Bio : Eius aut est quod autem. Earum sint accusantium asperiores voluptates aliquid aperiam id. Voluptatibus accusantium blanditiis modi. Veniam non est et magnam omnis ad. Et et dolorem iste sit quaerat.
Socials
twitter:
- url : https://twitter.com/yvonne_xx
- username : yvonne_xx
- bio : Minus ipsa id quod sit nihil. Qui cumque a est possimus vel et minima enim. Et dolores repellendus sed et fugiat qui.
- followers : 6636
- following : 1494
tiktok:
- url : https://tiktok.com/@kirlin2016
- username : kirlin2016
- bio : Minus officiis molestiae repellendus nulla.
- followers : 6024
- following : 723
instagram:
- url : https://instagram.com/yvonne_kirlin
- username : yvonne_kirlin
- bio : Consequatur earum quia voluptatem magnam qui. Et enim nam ex in ipsam consequuntur.
- followers : 2307
- following : 997
