Entering the European market for cashew nuts

Food safety certification, combined with frequent laboratory testing and good product quality, is necessary for cashew nut producers who wish to export to Europe. Sustainable production and social responsibility standards will help emerging suppliers to the European market to improve their long-term business operations. Exporters from Southeast Asia are strong competitors for new suppliers of shelled cashew nuts. But Côte d’Ivoire has recently shown that African exporters can be just as strong of a competitor. Established exporters, such as Vietnam and India, can often keep their prices low. This is because of their large-scale production and mechanised processing methods.

1. What requirements and certifications must cashew nuts meet to be allowed on the European market?

To learn more about the general requirements that apply to edible nuts, read our study about buyer requirements. The advice below applies to cashew nut kernel imports.

In this study, ‘Europe’ refers to the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK), and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. The term ‘developing countries’ refers to countries on the OECD-DAC list for 2025.

What are the mandatory requirements?

All food products, including cashew nuts, that are sold in the EU, EFTA and the UK must be safe. Only approved additives are allowed. Food products must follow maximum levels for harmful contaminants.

Cashew nuts must be clearly labelled as a food allergen in the EU. This is because some people can have dangerous physical reactions to cashew nuts, such as anaphylaxis.

If present, additives must be approved by the European safety authorities. Additives should comply with the specifications outlined in Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. The list of approved food additives can be found in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.

The EU places strict controls on contaminants in food, especially on aflatoxins. This is as per Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food.

The most common requirements in cashew nuts relate to the presence of mycotoxins, pesticide residues, micro-organisms and heavy metals. These cases are reported by the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).

The Netherlands rejected a shipment of organic cashew kernels from Togo in December 2021 because of aflatoxin contamination. A cheese substitute made from dehydrated cashew nuts was withdrawn in September 2021 because of Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Mycotoxins

Fungi can produce aflatoxins on cashew nuts pre- and post-harvest, under warm, humid conditions. Aflatoxins are stable compounds that are not fully removed during roasting or cooking of nuts. So products made from contaminated cashew nuts can contain aflatoxins.

In 2022, RASFF recorded one serious risk report for cashew nut shipments due to aflatoxin contamination. The incident involved a shipment of cashew nuts from Vietnam that was stopped in Italy.

The level of aflatoxin B1 in tree nuts (including cashews) must not exceed 5 μg/kg. Total aflatoxin content (sum of B1, B2, G1 and G2 aflatoxins) must not exceed 10 μg/kg.

Pesticide residues

The EU has set maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides in and on food products. The EU regularly publishes a list of approved pesticides that are authorised for use. This list is frequently updated.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/749 set the maximum permissible level of chlorates to 0.1 for all tree nuts including cashews. Chlorates can come in contact with cashews through the use of chlorinated water and chlorinated detergents.

Cashew nuts have 2 protective coverings in the form of the outer shell and inside testa layer. The shell, in which residues can build up, is removed before the nuts are imported into Europe. Still, many European importers will request a detailed test on the presence of many pesticides.

Aerial spraying of endosulfan in the cashew estates of Kerala, India, over several decades led to 779 deaths due to endosulfan poisoning. Recent research has shown high exposure of producers to herbicides in Côte d’Ivoire.

Heavy metals

Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets the maximum level of cadmium for cashew nuts at 0.20 mg/kg of wet weight. The maximum levels do not apply to nuts for crushing and oil refining.

What additional requirements and certifications do buyers often have?

Quality requirements

Cashew nut quality is determined by the percentage of defective kernels, and by their size, shape and colour. Several industry quality criteria, such as taste and flavour, are subjective. These cannot easily be determined based on physical characteristics.

The most widely applied quality standard in Europe is the standard established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The UNECE standard for cashew kernels was updated in 2023.

The standard sets a maximum moisture content of 5% for commercial kernels. It also categorises cashew kernels into the 3 main quality classes: extra (white), class I (scorched) and class II (scorched seconds or dessert). Whole nuts are further classified into 7 categories or grades ranging from 150 to 500 according to the maximum number of kernels per pound.

Cashew kernels should be dry and completely free from living insects, moulds, rodent contamination and insect damage. Cashew nut kernels are easily damaged by worms (black or brown spots on cashews).

Other quality classification systems for cashew kernels include the US cashew kernel industry standards of the Association of Food Industries. The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation (INC) has published cashew technical information highlighting important quality requirements.

Food safety certification

European legislation does not explicitly require food safety certification for cashew nuts. However, be aware that almost all European food importers require it. Well-established European importers will not work with you if you cannot provide the type of food safety certification that they want.

Most European buyers will ask for Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognised certification. For cashew nuts, the most popular certification programmes, all recognised by GFSI, are:

• International Featured Standards (IFS);
• Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS);
• Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000);
• Safe Quality Food Certification (SQF).

The EU, UK and EFTA generally recognise the same food safety standards and certifications due to their mutual recognition agreements. However, certain retailers may prefer one certification over another. For example, British buyers often require BRCGS, while IFS is more common for German retailers. Major buyers will also usually visit/audit production facilities before starting a business relationship.

Packaging requirements

The most common type of export packaging is 10 kg to 25 kg polybags or flexi packs. One 25 kg flexi pouch can be packed in a carton and 700-750 such cartons make a full container load. In order to prolong the shelf life, bags are often vacuum sealed by extracting the air and injecting carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Cashew nuts are also packaged in airtight tins. For example, Nuragro packs cashew nuts in 10 kg tins. Two such tins are packed in a carton for a total of 20 kg. 750 such cartons make a full container load.

Labelling requirements

For bulk export packaging, the product name is “cashew nut kernels” or “cashew nuts”. It should be put next to the name under which the product is sold in the country of retail sale. When applicable, the name may show the quality and grade of the product and crop year. More detailed information can be given in accompanying documents.

Cashew nuts have a high oil content and are sensitive to moisture. So including storage and transport instructions is very important.

European rules require you to label the origin of the product. In the case of retail packaging, product labelling must be in compliance with the EU Regulation on the provision of food information to consumers. This regulation specifies requirements for nutrition labelling, origin labelling, allergen labelling and clear legibility (minimum font size for mandatory information).

If a product containing cashew nuts is not labelled for allergens, it will be withdrawn from the market. These cases are reported by the RASFF. A product containing undeclared cashew nuts in pasta salad with pesto was withdrawn from the market in July 2023.

What are the requirements for niche markets?

Organic cashew nuts

To market cashew nuts as organic in Europe, they must be grown using organic production methods that comply with European legislation. Growing and processing facilities must be audited by an accredited certifier before you are allowed to use the EU’s organic logo on your products, as well as the logo of the standard holder (for example, the Soil Association in the UK or Naturland in Germany).

Note that importing organic products to the EU is only possible with an electronic certificate of inspection (e‑COI). Each batch of organic cashew nuts imported into the EU has to be accompanied by an e-COI as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008.

For equivalent countries (including India and Vietnam), certificates are issued by control bodies designated by national authorities. Consult the list of control bodies operating in third countries under the equivalence regime. In other countries, organic certificates are issued by control bodies in the EU/EEA/CH.

Sustainability certification

The 2 most commonly used sustainability certification schemes are Fairtrade standards and Rainforest Alliance. Fairtrade international has developed a specific standard for nuts intended for small-scale producer organisations. The standard defines the terms of payment and Fairtrade Minimum Price for conventional and organic raw cashew nut kernels from Africa.

To improve the sustainable production and sourcing of cashew nuts, a group of mainly European companies and organisations formed the Sustainable Nuts Initiative in 2015. The main objective is to work towards sustainable supply chains in nut-producing countries.

Firms have different requirements for social responsibility. Some companies will insist on their code of conduct or the following of common standards such as the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) standard. Sedex membership alone (without an audit) is actually not very complicated and not very expensive. Other alternatives include the Ethical Trading Initiative’s Base Code (ETI), the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative’s code of conduct (amfori BSCI) and B Corp certification.

Many importers will ask you to follow their own specific code of conduct. Most European retailers also have their own codes of conduct, such as Lidl, REWE, Carrefour, Tesco and Ahold Delhaize.

Dietary certification

Islamic dietary laws (halal) and Jewish dietary laws (kosher) have restrictions on diets. If you want to focus on the Jewish or Islamic ethnic niche markets, consider implementing halal or kosher certification schemes. There are several organisations that provide kosher certification in Europe, such as Kosher London Beth Din (KLBD), which provides guidelines on how to obtain the certification. Halal certification in Europe can be obtained via certifying bodies, such as Halal Certification Services (HCS), which provide certification services. 

India’s Alphonsa Cashew Industries received its halal certification from Halal India in 2021. India’s cashew nut processing and exporting company Tasty Nut Industries also offers halal-certified cashew kernels to buyers, as does Vietnam’s raw cashew exporter Lafoco.

2. Through which channels can you get cashew nuts on the European market?

The European end-market for cashew nuts can be broadly segmented based on quality (standard and high) and usage. Cashew nuts are mostly used for snacks that are directly consumed by the consumer. But they are also used as ingredients for processing by the food industry. These segments requires a different quality of cashew nuts.

How is the end-market segmented?

The largest user of cashew nuts in Europe is the snack segment. Approximately 90% of imported cashew nut kernels in Europe are sold as snacks, mostly as roasted salty snacks. Cashew nut kernels are also used by food processing industries as ingredients more often.

Figure 1: End-market segments for cashew nuts in Europe 

Source: Autentika Global, 2025

Snack segment

In 2024, the snack segment in Western Europe saw value growth with flat volumes as price increases affected sales. Discounters and private labels continued to gain market share. Demand is gradually shifting towards non-branded products. In 2025, 84% of consumers said they would continue buying private label products even if their purchasing power grows.

Snacks with cashew nuts could benefit further as protein and energy claims, as well as healthy ingredients, are becoming more and more popular among snack consumers. Health has become a much more important trend in daily nutrition, according to the European Snacks Association (ESA). The association expects more growth in free-from products and protein-packed snacks.

The snack industry is also actively developing various roasting flavours. This helps them diversify (create a wider range of products) and match consumer taste preferences. Aside from roasting flavours, various types of salty and sweet coatings are used to produce innovative snacks. Another trend is the increasing offer of unsalted, slow-roasted, dry-roasted and unroasted cashew nuts as a healthier option compared to salted snacks.

Figure 2: Cashew kernels and other nuts sold without retail packaging (street markets and health food stores)

Source: 2022-11-14_16-20-51_JO_day2-4_Madaba_JH by Juhele_CZ on Flickr (licensed under CC0 1.0)

Ingredient segment

The food processing segment accounts for roughly 10% of the European cashew nut market. Several important product trends are described in the market potential chapter of this study. The most common cashew ingredient users include the following:

• The confectionery industry mainly uses pieces of cashew nuts to produce chocolate snacks. Chocolate and caramel-coated whole cashew kernels are also more often offered as a new product. This is following successful sales of chocolate-coated almonds in several European markets;
• The bakery industry uses split and whole raw cashew nuts as spreads in cookies and pastries.
• Cashew nut spreads are promoted as an alternative to peanut butter;
• The breakfast cereals industry is launching new nut-rich granola products that frequently use cashew nuts;
• Protein and fruit-nut bars are offered more and more as an alternative to sugary and chocolate snacks. Cashew nuts are often used as an ingredient in those products as a source of plant protein;
• Other industry segments include cashew nuts in ready meals and sauces, such as pesto.

Through which channels do cashew nuts end up on the end-market?

Specialised nut importers represent the most important channel for cashew nuts in Europe. There are also several alternative channels, such as agents, food processors and food service companies.

Important players in the cashew nut segment include roasting and packing companies. Some roasting companies have specialised in selling roasted, salted and spiced cashew nuts to packers in bulk. Some important roasting companies in Europe are Ireco (Luxembourg), Intersnack (Germany/International), Max Kiene (Germany) and Trigon (the UK). Many packing companies have roasting facilities in their factories. This lets them develop different products that they can sell directly to consumers.

Figure 3: European market channels for cashew nuts

Source: Autentika Global, 2025

Importers/wholesalers

In most cases, importers act as wholesalers. Some batches of cashew nuts are sold to roasting companies that process cashew nuts and package them for sale to consumers. Some importers also have their own processing and packing equipment, so they can supply retail and food service channels directly.

A leading nut trading and distribution company in Europe is August Töpfer & Co (ATCO), which has its own cashew factory in Vietnam. ATCO is also a leading importer of cashew kernels from Africa. Another major importer is Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) that has a cashew plant in Côte d’Ivoire. A leading Dutch importer and wholesaler is Aldebaran Commodities. Zieler & Co. is a German cashew nut importer and wholesaler.

Retailers put pressure on importers and food manufacturers. Demands from the retail industry determine the supply chain dynamics from the top down in the chain. Pressure translates into lower prices but also leads to new requirements for added value. These demands are for “sustainable,” “natural,” “organic,” or “fair trade” products.

Agents/brokers

Agents in the cashew nut trade can perform several activities. Agents act as independent companies that negotiate on behalf of their clients. They also act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers. Typically, they charge commissions ranging from 2% to 4% for their services.

Another activity performed by agents/brokers is the supply of goods for retail chain private labels in Europe. For most developing country suppliers, it is very challenging to participate in the demanding private label tendering procedures. Some agents, in cooperation with their cashew nut suppliers, participate in retailer procurement procedures.

Cashew nut agents in the leading European markets include MW Nuts (Germany), Belfrudis (Belgium), Global Trading & Agency (the Netherlands), Rotterdam Commodity Trading (the Netherlands), Cardassilaris Family (Greece) and QFN Trading & Agency (the Netherlands).

Retail channel

Retailers rarely buy directly from developing-country exporters. However, certain developing-country exporters (processors) package their products directly for private label or even their own label brands. Recently, the retail sector has become more and more polarised. Retailers move towards either the discount or the high-level segment. Consolidation, market saturation, fierce competition and low prices are important characteristics of the European retail food market.

Keep in mind that several retail alliances coordinate buying operations in Europe:

• Coopernic (includes E.Leclerc, REWE Group, Ahold Delhaize, Coop Italia and Colruyt Group);
• Concordis (includes Carrefour and Coopérative U);
• AgeCore (Colruyt – cooperation on national brands and private label, Conad, Eroski, Kaufland and Coop Switzerland);
• European Marketing Distribution or EMD (Colruyt – cooperation only on private label, Superunie, Dagab/Axfood, NorgesGruppen, Kaufland, Markant, Euromadi, ESD Italia, Lotte and Francap);
• Epic Partners (EDEKA, Picnic, Migros, Jerónimo Martins).

Food service channel

The food service channel (hotels, restaurants and catering establishments) is usually supplied by specialised importers (wholesalers). The food service segment needs packages of cashew nuts in weights of 1 kg to 5 kg.

World cuisines, healthy food and food enjoyment are the major driving forces in the food service channel in Europe.

What is the most interesting channel for you?

Specialised nut importers are the most useful contact for cashew nut exporters. This is very relevant for new suppliers as supplying the retail segment directly is very complex and requires considerable investments.

Importers are your preferred contact. They can inform you in good time about market developments and give practical advice about exports. Cashew nut importers normally import other types of edible nuts and dried fruit as well. So offering other products next to cashew nuts can make you more competitive.

Established importers perform audits and visit producing countries regularly. New suppliers find they must offer the same quality at lower prices than their competitors.

However, packing for private labels may be an option for well-equipped and price-competitive suppliers. For example, cost of labour in Europe is increasing. This may lead cashew nut importers to search for more cost-effective roasting operations in developing countries.

3. What competition do you face on the European cashew nut market?

The European cashew nut kernel market is dominated by Vietnam, Côte d’Ivoire, India and Burkina Faso.

Which countries are you competing with?

Vietnam is the main competitor for all emerging suppliers of cashew nuts to Europe. This country supplied 66% of all cashew kernels to Europe in 2024. They are followed by Côte d’Ivoire, which has a market share of approximately 13%. India, which used to be the second-largest supplier until 2022, is a major processor, along with Vietnam.

Côte d’Ivoire is quickly gaining market share in Europe. The West African country managed to increase its exports to Europe from less than 5,000 tonnes in 2020 to almost 30,000 tonnes in 2024. Other African countries are also gaining market share. Burkina Faso, Benin and Nigeria are 3 fast-growing exporters to Europe. This positive trend in West Africa is expected to continue.

Source: Autentika Global, ITC, 2025

Vietnam, the undisputed supplier of cashew nut kernels to Europe

Vietnam is the leading exporter of cashew nuts to Europe and the rest of the world. The country was the leading exporter of cashew nuts. They had, on average, a 33% share over the 5 years before 2023, and 31% in 2023. The US, the EU, the UK and China are its top markets. In terms of production, Vietnam produces just 6% of the global cashew nut supply, according to the INC. The large Vietnamese exports can be explained by the large installed shelling capacity in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese cashew crop in 2024/2025 was reported to be 340,000 tonnes on a raw cashew nut (RCN) basis, according to the INC. In order to make good use of its many shelling facilities, Vietnam imports in-shell cashew nuts. They mostly get them from Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Indonesia and Ghana.

Most shelled cashew nut kernels produced by Vietnam are exported with only small volumes consumed locally. In 2024, Vietnam exported around 537,000 tonnes of cashew nut kernels. The leading destination was Europe with a 26% share, followed by the US (24%). Vietnamese cashew nut exports to Europe grew by 0.7% annually to 141,860 tonnes in 2024.

Vietnam’s Binh Phuoc province has 141,595 hectares under the crop, while the output of raw cashew nuts is over 200,000 tonnes per year. The province has almost 300 companies involved in cashew processing and dozens of companies are involved in exports.

Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest in-shell producer 

Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s number one producer of in-shell, raw cashew nuts. Production of RCN increased to 1.2 million tonnes in 2023, which is 40% of the world’s cashew supply. The volume of RCN processed locally rose to more than 345,000 tons in 2024. The government aims to locally process more than 50% of RCN by 2030.

The country was the fastest-growing large exporter to Europe with an average annual growth rate of 57% between 2020 and 2024. Exports to Europe are likely to remain very dynamic. They are expected to grow at a slower 20-30% per year in the next 3 years. Double-digit growth is also likely to be present in the longer term (5 years or more). The Ivorian market share in Europe rose from just 2.7% in 2020 to 13.2% in 2024.

The Cotton and Cashew Board (Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde) manages cashew production and marketing, and promotes processing in Côte d’Ivoire. The interests of the country’s cashew nut processing sector are represented by the Association of Ivoirian cashew processing companies (GIC-CI).

India, the world’s largest cashew nut consumer

With a crop of 615,000 tonnes of RCN, India was the second-largest producer outside Western Africa in the 2024/2025 season. India consumes large quantities of cashew nuts locally. According to the INC, India is the world’s largest cashew nut kernel consumer with a consumption of 460,797 tonnes in 2023.

Production facilities are mainly located in coastal regions, with Maharashtra as the leading producing region. Harvesting usually takes place in March, April and May.

India’s cashew kernel exports to Europe fell by 7.8% annually between 2020 and 2024 to 10,835 tonnes in 2024. India’s market share in Europe fell from 8.7% in 2020 to 5.0% in 2024.

The production and export of Indian cashews are supported by the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI). The country’s nut processing capacities are larger than needed to handle domestic production. Because of this, large amounts of in-shell nuts are imported from Africa.

Burkina Faso, a fast-growing African supplier to Europe

Burkina Faso is a secondary cashew producer in West Africa. In 2024, Burkina Faso reportedly processed only around 16,000 tonnes of RCN out of 161,000 tonnes produced. In April 2025, the government even suspended raw-nut exports to promote local processing. According to the INC, Burkina Faso produced 145,000 tonnes of RCN in 2024/2025.

The country has 21 cashew nut processing plants. Four-fifths of the processing capacity is located in the High Basins region, while 14% is in the Cascades.

Raw cashew nuts are the second-most important export crop for the country after cotton. In 2024, Burkina Faso exported 3,480 tonnes of cashew kernels to Europe. Annual exports to Europe grew at an annual pace of 12.8% between 2020 and 2024. The country’s market share in Europe rose from 1.2% to 1.6% in the same period.

Cashew production in Burkina Faso is supported by the Cashew Committee of Burkina Faso (CIAB), the National Union of Cashew Producers (UNPA-BF), the Burkina Faso Cashew Council (CBA), the National Association of Processors (ANTA-BF) and the National Union of Cashew Nut Exporters (UNCEA-BF). Cashew growers are assembled in the FENAPA-B federation.

Which companies are you competing with?

Many companies around the world produce, process and export cashew nuts. Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) is one of the largest cashew nut processors and exporters in the world. Ofi is headquartered in Singapore. It was originally part of OLAM Group, but became a distinct entity in 2020. Ofi states that it is the only fully-integrated cashew supplier in most major producing and processing origins.

Ofi runs more than 15 cashew processing facilities in Asia and Africa from where it sells cashews. These are located in India, Vietnam, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Nigeria. In India and Vietnam, Ofi uses fully mechanised shelling facilities.

Vietnamese companies

According to VINACAS, Vietnam is home to nearly 400 companies that export in-shell cashews and around 150 processing companies. The top exporter of Vietnam’s cashew kernels is ofi, with around 10% of the total export share. German-based ATCO also has its own local cashew processing company, ATCO Vietnam.

After ofi, the largest Vietnamese cashew nut processor and exporter is the company Long Son with its 2 subsidiaries (Long Son Joint Stock Company and Long Son Inter Foods). Long Son has 10 processing facilities across the country.

Other large exporters include Hoang Son 1, Hai Viet, Dakao Agricultural Produce, Cao Phat and Vietnam Intersnack Cashew (part of Germany’s Intersnack Group). Other important players in Vietnam are Rals Vietnam (a subsidiary of the Indian company Rajkumar Impex), Minh Loan, Lafooco (part of PAN Food) and Haprosimex.

My An Co, Tan Lon Group and Dan On Foods are also important processors. The remaining companies are much smaller as compared to the top exporters.

Indian companies

India is home to many cashew nut processing and exporting companies. Many of these used to be located in Kollam, in the state of Kerala. Of the more than 800 cashew factories operational in Kollam till a decade ago, less than 100 cashew factories are operational now. The Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation runs 30 cashew factories across Kerala state with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes.

India’s cashew nut growers and processors are represented by CEPCI. On its website, CEPCI lists 187 exporters of cashew nuts. Cashew nut processing, once very limited to Kerala and other southern states, has now spread to the entire country, with domestic consumption rising. The cashew harvesting season in India is normally from late February to early June.

Cashew nut exports are supported by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Leading exporters include Intersnack Cashew India (a member of Germany’s Intersnack Group), India Food Exports, Tasty Nut Industries, Pratipa Cashews and Kerala Nut Food Co.

Other notable Indian exporters include Bismi Cashew Company (with 7 factories and 2 packing centres), Fernandes Brothers, Bolas and Prasad Trading Company.

Most cashew nuts in India are shelled by pedal-operated machines. India’s leading grape exporter Sahyadri Farms has recently opened Maharashtra’s biggest cashew processing plant.

African cashew suppliers

Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) is the largest cashew nut processor in Africa. Aside from ofi, there are many other cashew companies that are increasing their exports to Europe.

• Côte d’Ivoire: ofi is the largest processor with a processing capacity of more than 40,000 tonnes per year. Other large processors include SITA, Nord Cajou and Ivory Cashew Nuts, followed by several other companies;
• Burkina Faso: As in other African countries, ofi is an important processor in Burkina Faso. The largest local processor is Anatrans;
• Nigeria: Enkay Indo Nigerian Industries is an important cashew nut exporter, as is Lagos-based FoodPro Group.

Which products are you competing with?

Cashew nuts have a unique flavour. They are, however, also part of a wider group of tree nuts. When prices are very high, consumers may want to replace some tree nuts (such as cashew) with cheaper groundnuts.

Cashews are often consumed as part of a salted nuts mix. In such a mix, proportions of the various types of nuts may vary. They will in part determine the price of the mix. The nuts that are most similar to cashews in terms of flavour are probably peanuts. Almonds and pistachios are important competitors as well.

4. What are the prices for cashew nuts?

Depending on the country, retail chain, package size and brand, the prices of the cashew nuts sold to end-consumers vary greatly across Europe. The prices of roasted and salted cashew nuts usually range from €12-18/kg for private label brands and €18-28/kg for mainstream brands. Natural, unsalted kernels are often sold for €12-17/kg.

These price ranges do not tell cashew nuts suppliers a lot. The final retail price is very different from the export price because many other costs are added. These include transport, roasting, packing and sales, as well as profit margins. The approximate breakdown of retail cashew prices is shown below. However keep in mind this is a generalisation. It does not reflect the specifics of individual supply chains and markets.

Source: Autentika Global, 2025 

Global cashew prices are currently quite low. In many nut products, including cashew, high production has been part of the reason behind this trend. For the 2025/2026 period, the worldwide raw cashew kernel production is expected to be 5.06 million tonnes. This is a slight decline from the 5.29 million tonnes produced in the previous season.

After falling to multi-year lows in 2023, FOB Vietnam W320 cashews traded mostly in the US$2.80-3.30/lb range through 2024. W240 generally ranged from US$3.05-3.70/lb depending on the packer/period. Indian FOB W320 were priced around US$7,905/tonne in September 2024. By Q4 2025, some Vietnamese exporters were offering W320 at around US$7.20–7.50/kg (which is around US$3.30–3.40/lb) and W240 around US$7.60–7.90/kg.

Cashew kernel prices in recent years were so low that leading traders have warned that current prices are causing volatility and uncertainty. Should these trends continue unchanged in the next few years, this could maybe lead to an unsustainable value chain. Basically, at the moment, farmers, buyers and processors face major problems when they try to sell their inventory.

It is likely that demand in Europe will pick up. This is thanks to lower prices and promotions that improved consumption levels in recent years. Retailers across main destination markets have lowered their shelf prices. This has supported a rise in consumption. Be aware that the demand for raw cashew nuts and cashew kernels may vary depending on inventories and processing trends.

Autentika Global carried out this study on behalf of CBI.

Please review our market information disclaimer.