W450 — Small wholes
400–450 kernels per pound • Most cost-efficient whole grade
Typical price
$3.95/lb FOB
India FOB. ~13% discount to W320.
Packaging
22.68 kg vacuum tins or 200 kg drums / FIBC for industrial buyers.
MOQ
1 MT typical; 10–25 MT common for cashew-dairy and snack-pack manufacturers.
What W450 is
W450 is the most-purchased "value whole" grade. The "450" means a count not exceeding 450 whole, white kernels per pound — typically 400–450, or about 882–992 per kilogram. The kernels look visibly smaller than W320 but are still whole, white, and AFI-spec. The discount from W320 is ~13%, meaningful for cost-driven applications.
Best uses
- Cashew dairy alternatives — cashew milk, cream, vegan cheese, ice cream base. The volume driver for W450 globally.
- Mass-retail snack packs (100g, 200g, 500g) where price matters more than kernel size
- Mixed-nut and trail-mix bulk supply
- Cashew butter and nut spreads
- Food-service bulk supply (institutional, airline, hotel)
- Ingredient inclusion in cereals, granolas, energy bars
The cashew-dairy economics
The rapid growth of cashew-based dairy alternatives (milk, cream, cheese) has structurally lifted demand for W450. Cashew dairy needs whole kernels (better blend texture than pieces) but doesn't need visual perfection — the kernels get blended. W450 hits exactly this spec: whole, AFI-spec, cheap. Most large cashew-dairy manufacturers run on W450 with periodic spot purchases of W500 when prices favour.