Cashew Nut Grading Guide: What W180 - W450 Actually Means

Cashew kernel grades are labeled with a “W” followed by a number. W180, W240, W320, W450, and the logic behind those numbers trips up a lot of first-time buyers.

What the "W" Number Actually Means

The number refers to how many whole kernels make up one pound of cashews. It’s an inverse scale: the lower the number, the larger (and typically more expensive) the individual kernel, because it takes fewer large kernels to reach one pound.

W180: very large kernels, premium grade
W240: large kernels, popular for premium retail packaging
W320: the most widely traded grade globally, a solid mid-size kernel used across snack food and general retail
W450: smaller kernels, still whole and food-grade, generally the most cost-effective whole-kernel option

Beyond Whole Kernels: Broken Grades

Not every cashew comes out of processing whole, broken pieces are graded and sold separately, usually at a lower price point: LWP (large white pieces), SWP (small white pieces), and BB (baby bits). These work well where cashews are an ingredient rather than a standalone snack, baking, confectionery, or ground applications, where kernel shape doesn’t affect the final product.

Which Grade Should You Order?

or premium retail packaging where visual kernel size matters, W240 or W180 are standard. For snack manufacturing or general repackaging, W320 offers the best balance of price and kernel size. If cashews are an ingredient in a larger recipe, broken grades deliver the same flavor at a meaningfully lower cost.

A Note on Color Grading

Beyond size, kernels are also graded by color (white, scorched, or dessert/spotted), scorched wafers (SW) result from slight over-roasting during processing and are typically sold at a discount, though flavor is largely unaffected.