About Us: A Madeiran Family Grocer in Funchal

Mendonça Supermarkets is a family-run grocery store on R. Dom Carlos I in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, Portugal. It has been owned and run by the Mendonça family, born and raised on the island, for more than 30 years. The store sits in Funchal's Old Town (Zona Velha), a short walk from the cruise terminal, and stocks Madeira's regional products alongside everyday essentials.

Who is behind Mendonça Supermarkets?

Mendonça Supermarkets is run by the Mendonça family, who were born and raised in Madeira. The family has operated the store for more than 30 years from the same neighbourhood in Funchal's Old Town. It is an independent, family-owned grocer, not a chain, which is why the shop keeps a local character while welcoming visitors from around the world.

Being a Madeiran family means the shelves reflect what islanders actually eat and drink: Madeira wine, Banana da Madeira, Bolo do Caco and the ingredients for Poncha, next to the everyday groceries a neighbourhood relies on. More than three decades in the same street on R. Dom Carlos I have made the store a fixture of the Zona Velha, the historic quarter of Funchal.

Where is Mendonça Supermarkets located?

Mendonça Supermarkets is on R. Dom Carlos I, 9060-051 Funchal, in Madeira's Old Town (Zona Velha), a short walk from Funchal's cruise terminal. The store opens Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 23:00, and Sunday from 10:00 to 23:00. You can reach it by WhatsApp on +351 936 071 898.

The Zona Velha is the oldest part of Funchal, a network of narrow streets between the cathedral and the seafront. Its position beside the port makes the store convenient for cruise passengers who have only a few hours ashore, as well as for residents doing their weekly shop.

What is Madeira, and why does it shape what we sell?

Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal, an Atlantic archipelago whose capital is Funchal. Portuguese navigators led by João Gonçalves Zarco reached the island around 1419, and Funchal was founded soon after, in the early 1420s. The island's name means "wood", and Funchal takes its name from the wild fennel (funcho) that grew where the city now stands.

Madeira's mild, humid climate is what makes its produce distinctive. The island is home to the Laurisilva of Madeira, the largest surviving area of laurel forest, which UNESCO inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1999. The same conditions that sustain that ancient forest also ripen the small, sweet Banana da Madeira on the warm south coast and support the vineyards behind Madeira wine.

The Laurisilva of Madeira is the largest surviving area of laurel forest, believed to be 90% primary forest, and an outstanding relict of a once-widespread forest type. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Laurisilva of Madeira (inscribed 1999)

These are the "elements of the island" behind our shelves: a place discovered six centuries ago, a UNESCO-protected forest, and a food culture (Madeira wine, Banana da Madeira, Bolo do Caco, Poncha) that grew from Madeira's soil and climate.

What regional Madeira products can you find here?

You can find Madeira's signature regional products: Madeira wine, a fortified DOP wine regulated by IVBAM; Banana da Madeira, recognised as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI); Bolo do Caco, the island's traditional flatbread; and the sugar-cane spirit and honey used to make Poncha. All sit alongside everyday groceries at supermarket prices.

Madeira wine is a Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) wine managed by IVBAM, the Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira. Banana da Madeira is recognised as a Protected Geographical Indication, a European quality scheme that ties the name to the island. If you are visiting and want to know what to take home, our blog explains each product in detail.

Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Laurisilva of Madeira (World Heritage Site, inscribed 1999); Visit Madeira, official tourism board of Madeira (island history and regional food); IVBAM, Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira (Madeira wine DOP); DGADR, Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (Portuguese quality schemes). Founding date and family history provided by Mendonça Supermarkets.