OUR CASHEW KERNELS

The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is a tropical evergreen known for producing both cashew nuts and cashew apples. While the tree can reach heights of up to 14 meters (46 feet), the dwarf cashew variety, growing to about 6 meters (20 feet), has become more popular due to its earlier maturity and higher yields.

Native to northeastern Brazil, cashew nuts were first exported by Portuguese colonists in the 1550s. Today, Vietnam, Nigeria, India, and Ivory Coast are the top producers.

Cashew nuts are highly versatile, consumed as snacks, used in cooking, or processed into products like cashew cheese and cashew butter. Interestingly, the cashew shell produces valuable derivatives used in lubricants, paints, and even arms production during World War II. The cashew apple, with its reddish-yellow hue, can be made into a sweet, astringent drink or distilled into liquor