
Portuguese Food Aid on Way to New Bedford Expatriates in Florida
The call has gone out and help is on the way.
New Bedford-style Portuguese food is getting harder to find in the Ft. Myers area these days for expatriates who packed their panelas and conchas to retire in sunny Florida.
The few places New Bedford retirees could find linguica, chourico, Portuguese spices and other favorites from home are drying up, and the Publix supermarkets in the area have discontinued much of the Portuguese goodies they once carried.

The Facebook page New Bedfordites in Florida shares the angst of many former residents searching for Portuguese pops and a pound or two of spicy chourico from home.
New Bedford City Councilor Ian Abreu has heard the cries and is ready to deliver. Abreu, like FEMA after a storm, is preparing to journey south with relief supplies for the linguica-deprived.
"We are hearing from former New Bedford and SouthCoast area residents in droves that there are special and unique foods to our region that they've been hankering for, and we want to be able to accommodate their demands," Abreu said.
So what might the born-again Floridians expect to see rolling down the I-75 corridor?
"Everything from Silmo coffee syrup to linguica and chourico from our friends at Gaspar's, chow mein noodles from Fall River, Portuguese spices, sweet bread, and pops," Abreu said.
"We will try our best to ship as many products as feasible for our friends to purchase so they can enjoy a taste of home," he said.
The food items will be available at the 21st Annual New Bedford Day events on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The event has a new home this year and will be held at Southern Fresh Farms, 8500 Penzance Boulevard in Ft. Myers from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The former host location, The Shell Factory, closed in 2024.
Committeeman Steve Ferreira said Southern Fresh Farm has a vibe similar to New Bedford's Cisco Brewers. There will be a live band.
New Bedford Day was founded by former New Bedford Mayor Brian Lawler and his wife Johan.
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Gallery Credit: Kari Jakobsen
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