Blantyre is the commercial center of Malawi and travelers come in from all over the region including neighboring Mozambique to stock up on supplies--food, construction materials, electronics, etc. The downtown area is full of Asian Indian run shops, as is nearby Limbe. A bustling market area popular with locals offers all kinds of fruits, veggies, used clothing, construction materials, etc. on the cheap. Newer Western-style shops are available for those who just want to get in and get out i.e. Game and Shoprite at Chichiri. Savers Choice is a well-stocked Asian run store heading toward Limbe that caters to the expat community with hard-to-find food items, a good bakery, an ice-cream bar and candy shop. Prices for the same thing can often vary from shop to shop and an abundance of counterfeited products flood the market, so it's best to shop around and stay on guard.
