Cashew grade guide
W means whole. The number after it is roughly how many kernels make up a pound, so a smaller number means a bigger kernel: W180 bags the largest kernels, W450 the smallest.
The counts come from cashew trade specifications — the export grade codes of the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India and the AFI sizing table used across the trade. FSSAI does not publish W-grades. Here are all eight products we pack, and what each one is best for.
All eight products, side by side
| Grade | On the pouch | Kernels per pound, approx. | Good for | From price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W180 | Extra Jumbo | 140–180 | Gifting, festive tables, eating plain. | from ₹179 |
| W210 | Jumbo | 180–210 | Everyday snacking, sweets, gifting. | from ₹159 |
| W240 | Large | 220–240 | Snacking, curries, desserts. | from ₹149 |
| W320 | Medium | 300–320 | Cooking, gravies, mithai. | from ₹139 |
| W450 | Small | 400–450 | Baking, pastes, everyday cooking. | from ₹129 |
| Splits | Cashew splits | — | Cooking, grinding into pastes, sweets. | from ₹329 |
| Gift Edition | W180 · 250 g | W180 · 140–180 | Festivals, weddings, corporate gifting. | ₹549 |
| Skin-on | Natural skin | — | Snacking, trail mixes, roasting at home. | from ₹149 |
Splits and skin-on carry no kernel count: splits are kernel halves, and skin-on is a packing style, not a size grade.
The five whole grades
W180, W210, W240, W320 and W450 are whole kernels, sorted by size. A whole kernel keeps its characteristic shape — trade specs allow at most an eighth to be broken off — and up to 10% of the kernels in a whole-grade bag may be broken.
Splits, butts and pieces
Splits are kernels that have come apart cleanly into two halves — same kernel, same taste, half the shape. Cashew grading also names other cuts: butts are kernels broken crosswise with both halves still joined, and pieces are the smallest cuts, sorted by sieve size. We pack whole kernels and splits.
Skin-on
Every kernel wears a thin brown skin — the testa — which is peeled off before whole kernels are graded white. Skin-on packs keep it, for a deeper, nuttier bite. There is no W number for skin-on: it is a packing style, not an official grade.
How we grade by hand
Raw nuts arrive at our own processing unit. They are shelled there, the kernels are graded by hand into sizes, and each grade is packed into kraft stand-up zip pouches. We handle about a tonne of kernels a month. Keep pouches cool, dry and airtight, away from sunlight, and use them within six months of packing.
How to choose
For snacking
W210 is our everyday premium grade — plump and even for the snack bowl. W240 sits a step smaller, and skin-on brings a nuttier bite for trail mixes.
For cooking & gravies
W320 is the kitchen workhorse for gravies, curry bases and mithai. Splits work well when a recipe wants ground cashew.
For sweets & baking
W450 gives small, even kernels that suit baking, pastes and everyday sweets. For mithai where a whole kernel stays visible, W320 keeps a neat look.
For gifting
The Gift Edition is our largest W180 in a ready-to-give 250 g pouch, for festivals, weddings and corporate gifting. A plain W180 pouch works well too.
Questions and answers
What exactly does the W number count?
How many kernels make up about a pound. W180 is roughly 140–180 kernels per pound, W450 roughly 400–450. These counts come from the cashew trade specifications published by the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India and the AFI table used across exports.
Does a bigger kernel mean better quality?
No. The W numbers are size counts, not quality scores: a smaller number means a larger kernel, not a better one. Pick the size that suits how you eat and cook — whichever grade you pick, the kernels are graded by hand at our unit before packing.
What are butts and pieces?
They are other cuts recognised in cashew grading. Butts are kernels broken crosswise, with both halves still joined; pieces are the smallest cuts, sorted by sieve size. We pack whole kernels and splits only.
How do you grade your cashews?
Raw nuts arrive at our own processing unit. They are shelled there, the kernels are graded by hand into sizes, and each grade is packed into kraft stand-up zip pouches. We handle about a tonne of kernels a month.
Is skin-on an official grade?
No. Skin-on kernels simply keep the thin brown skin that is normally peeled off. It is a packing style rather than a size grade, so it carries no W number.