Cashew Kernel Grades Explained: W180, W240, W320, W450 and Pieces

Cashew grade codes follow a simple logic: the letter describes the kernel's appearance and wholeness, and the number is the kernel count per pound. W320 therefore means white whole kernels running roughly 300-320 to the pound - the most traded grade in the world. Larger kernels carry lower numbers (W180, W240) and higher prices; scorched grades (SW) and broken grades (splits, pieces) offer the same cashew flavour at lower cost for bakery and ingredient use.

What do cashew grade codes mean?

The grading system used across the international cashew trade is built on two elements:

• The letter prefix describes colour and wholeness. W stands for white wholes - kernels that are intact and uniformly pale ivory to light ash in colour. SW means scorched wholes, which are slightly darker from heat exposure during processing. Codes without a count number describe broken styles: S for splits, LWP and SWP for large and small white pieces, and BB for baby bits.
• The number suffix on whole grades is the kernel count per pound (454 g). W240 kernels run up to about 240 per pound; W320 up to about 320. The lower the number, the bigger - and generally the more expensive - the kernel.

This convention, standardised by Indian export grading rules and adopted broadly across origins, lets a buyer in Rotterdam and a packer in Kollam talk about the same kernel without ever seeing a sample first. The count is usually also expressed per kilogram in specifications (W320 works out to roughly 660-706 kernels per kg).

The white wholes grades compared

White wholes are the premium end of the market: intact kernels, uniform colour, free of scorching and visible defects. The commercially important grades run from W180 down to W450.

W180 is often called the king of cashews - a visibly large kernel that dominates premium gift and festival packs. W240 balances size and price for upmarket retail. W320 accounts for the largest share of world trade by a wide margin: it is big enough to present well in a retail pack, small enough to price competitively, and available in volume from every major origin. W450 is the smallest of the regularly traded white wholes and suits value-oriented packs where wholeness matters more than size.

Scorched and dessert grades briefly

Not every kernel comes out of the roaster uniformly pale. Kernels that are intact but slightly darkened - light brown, light ash or amber tones from heat during shelling or drying - are graded as scorched wholes (SW), with the same count logic (SW240, SW320 and so on). A further step down, scorched wholes seconds (SSW) covers kernels with deeper discolouration, immaturity marks or surface blemishes.

Scorched and dessert grades taste essentially the same as white grades once roasted or cooked, which is why they are popular with roasters and food manufacturers: the colour difference disappears in a honey-roast or a curry, but the price difference does not.

Broken grades: splits and pieces

Kernels that break during shelling, peeling or grading are sorted into broken styles rather than discarded:

• Splits (S): kernels split naturally lengthwise into two clean halves.
• Large white pieces (LWP): kernels broken crosswise into larger fragments.
• Small white pieces (SWP): smaller fragments, still clearly recognisable as cashew.
• Baby bits (BB): the smallest fraction, used where the cashew is ground or blended.

Each broken style also has scorched equivalents. Because brokens come off the same lines as wholes, their intrinsic quality - flavour, oil content, freshness - matches the wholes from the same lot. The discount reflects appearance, not substance.

Which grade should buyers choose?

The right grade follows directly from the end use:

• Premium retail and gifting: W180, W210 or W240, where the visual impact of a large whole kernel justifies the premium.
• Mainstream retail and snack mixes: W320, and W450 for value lines - whole kernels at the most competitive whole-kernel price.
• Roasting and flavoured snacks: W320, W450 or scorched wholes, since seasoning and roast colour mask minor tone differences.
• Bakery and confectionery: splits and LWP, which distribute well through doughs, chocolates and bars.
• Ingredient use (pastes, butters, sauces, cashew milk): SWP and BB, the most economical way to buy cashew solids that will be ground anyway.

Mixed-grade orders are common: a single container can carry retail wholes alongside pieces for a buyer's industrial line. How that split is written into the contract - and who inspects it - should be agreed up front, along with the Incoterm; our guide to Incoterms for agro exports explains the cost and risk split at each term.

How export cashews are packed

Cashew kernels are hygroscopic and oil-rich, so packing is designed to block moisture and oxygen:

• Vacuum pouches: the modern standard - kernels vacuum-packed in multi-layer flexible pouches, commonly flushed with inert gas, then cased in cartons. Typical units hold around 10 kg or 11.34 kg (25 lb) per pouch, often two pouches to a carton.
• Tins: the traditional format - kernels sealed in 10 kg or 11.34 kg tins, usually two tins to a carton. Still used in some trades, though vacuum packing now dominates.

Kernels are shipped at low moisture (commonly specified around 5% maximum) and containers for long or humid routes may be lined and loaded with desiccants. Alongside the packing spec, a cashew shipment carries the standard export document set - invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate where the destination requires it, and bill of lading. See our full export documentation checklist and our guide to the phytosanitary certificate process in India for details.

Frequently asked questions

Arcas Impex is an agro export house based in Belagavi, Karnataka, India, exporting rice, cashews, onions, green chillis and coffee to buyers worldwide. Explore our cashew export range across white wholes, scorched grades and pieces.