Does market of 3rd and 70 in Havana seek to compete with Walmart?

The super market located in 3rd and 70s in Havana, seeks to compete with one of the large chains in the United States: Walmart.

After its opening at the end of 2024, this square created not a little controversy on the island, as all its products are sold in dollars, a scarce currency in the largest of the Antilles.

This market was the first of its kind in Cuba and, although those who visit it can verify that it has everything that does not exist in other stores such as MLC, high prices in dollars make it highly prohibitive for most of the people.

For its part, the Cuban YouTuber Michel Chronica, has published some videos on its social networks where it exposes the reality of the market of 3rd and 70s, and ensures that the so -called «Walmart de Cuba» does not deserve its fame.

The content creator, who currently resides in Mexico, has recently traveled to the island and shared with his followers some images of this place, located in one of the most tourist areas of the capital.

@Michelcronica This is the new supermarket of Cuba. Do not miss the complete video on my YouTube channel Michel Chronicles. #Michelcronica #ElcubanomasMexicano ♬ Original sound – Chronic Michel

What is the 3rd and 70s market?

The first thing that Michel’s attention could be able to attention, were the high prices that have the vast majority of the products sold in the famous market. As he explained, «a piece of cheese costs $ 77 and a piece of meat, 100 and so many US dollars,» he reveals while showing some of the corridors of the premises.

However, and despite prices, the youtuber ensures that there are many empty spaces, since they do not have merchandise to supply many areas. Products such as the national production rum is sold at an exorbitant cost and in the meat section there was only ham.

«Basically there are many halls with soft drinks, with water bottles, there are boxes of mash, many canned things, but there is very little protein,» said Michel, who also points out that there are many soft drinks of Cuban brands that long ago disappeared from the national market .

In its route it also shows shortages and boxes of products lying in the halls, which shows an instability in the replacement of the items marketed there. So its final conclusion is that, not even closely, this square can compete with a large surface such as Walmart.

Who manages the 3rd and 70th market?

This market is nestled at the facilities of the Gran Muthu Havana hotel, which is managed by the MGM Muthu Hotels chain together Grupo Gaviota, which belongs to the Cuban military elite.

A short time after its opening, a second market was opened with the same characteristics, this time in the Varadero Tourist Pole. This would be the first outside the Cuban capital and received the same avalanche of criticism as its predecessor. However, those who have visited both premises say that none of the days is approaching Walmart, or in variety of products, or offers, much less in prices.

For Cubans, both stores are a mockery to the current situation of the people, when the average salary in Cuba is four thousand pesos, which at the current dollar exchange in the informal market would be $ 12.