Cashew Grades W240 vs W320 Explained: Which Kaju Should You Buy?

Walk into a dry fruit shop and ask for kaju, and the shopkeeper will ask you a question right back: "W240 chahiye ya W320?" Most customers blink. The answer matters — those little codes decide the size of the cashew in your hand, the price per kilo, and which packet is right for your table. Here is the whole system, explained the way a patient shopkeeper would explain it across the counter.

What Do Cashew Grades Actually Mean?

Cashew grading follows an international standard maintained by the cashew industry (the specifications most traders use trace back to the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India and AFI standards). The grade tells you two things: wholeness/colour and size.

• W = Whole, White. The kernel is whole (unbroken) and white/ivory in colour — the premium appearance grade. Lower appearance grades include SW (scorched wholes, slightly discoloured from roasting), and broken grades like LWP, SWP and BB (more on those below).
• The number = kernels per pound. W240 means roughly 220–240 whole kernels make up one pound (about 450g). W320 means roughly 300–320 kernels per pound. The smaller the number, the bigger the cashew.

That is the entire code. W240 cashews are bigger and fewer per kilo; W320 cashews are smaller and more numerous. Everything else — price, use, prestige — flows from that.

The Cashew Grade Chart

A note on the broken grades: SWP (scorched wholes pieces), LWP (large white pieces) and BB (baby bits) are not "bad" cashews — they are simply broken during shelling. For a curry, a kaju katli or cashew paste, pieces are identical in taste to whole kernels and cost far less. The premium you pay for W-grades is for appearance: whole, ivory, uniform kernels.

W240 vs W320 Head-to-Head

The honest truth most shopkeepers will tell you: blindfolded, you cannot taste the difference between W240 and W320. The flavour is the same cashew. You are paying for size and looks — which matters enormously when the kaju sits in a crystal bowl in front of guests, and not at all when it disappears into a chicken karahi.

Which Grade for Which Use

• Snacking at home: W320. Best value, same taste, and the smaller size is actually nicer for mindless munching.
• Serving guests / drawing room: W240. Big, beautiful, impressive — this is the grade that says you bought the good stuff.
• Gifting and weddings: W240 or W210/W180 for the premium boxes. Appearance is the whole point of a gift.
• Cooking and curries: W320, or save real money with LWP pieces. Once it is in the gravy, nobody can see the grade.
• Mithai (kaju katli, barfi): pieces or W450. It is getting ground into paste anyway.

Does Grade Affect Nutrition?

No. Grade is purely about size and appearance — the nutrition is identical. Per USDA FoodData Central, raw cashews (per 100g) carry roughly 553 kcal, 18g protein, 44g fat (mostly monounsaturated), 30g carbohydrates and 3.3g fibre, along with meaningful copper, magnesium and manganese. A W240 kernel and a W320 kernel are the same food; one is simply bigger. Buy the grade that fits your use and budget, not a health claim.

Who should be careful: cashews are calorie-dense (a small handful, ~30g, is about 160–170 kcal), so portion them if you are watching weight. Tree-nut allergy sufferers must avoid them entirely. This is general information, not medical advice.

Kaju Prices by Grade in Pakistan

As a rule of thumb, expect the price ladder to follow size: W180 at the top, then W210, W240, W320, with pieces and baby bits at the bottom. In the current market, whole kaju generally moves in a band of roughly PKR 4,200–5,500 per kg depending on grade and whether it is raw or roasted-salted — with W240 sitting above W320 by a clear step.

Grade-level prices shift with import costs and season, so rather than a table that goes stale, check the full current rate list in our pista kaju akhrot price in Pakistan guide — and the broader dry fruits price in Pakistan page for everything else on your shopping list.

5 Buying Tips (From Behind the Counter)

1. Look for uniform ivory colour. Good W-grade kaju is creamy white. Yellowing or brown patches mean old or scorched stock being sold at whole-grade prices.
2. Reject broken pieces in a "whole" packet. A few chips are normal; a packet that is half pieces at W240 prices is not.
3. Smell it. Fresh cashews smell faintly sweet and nutty. A sharp, painty smell means the oils have turned — put the packet back.
4. Check the packing date. Roasted kaju goes stale in 2–3 months at room temperature. High-turnover shops sell fresher stock.
5. Taste before you commit. Any decent shop will let you try two kernels. The crunch should be crisp, not chewy; the flavour buttery, not bitter.

If you are choosing between roasted and plain, our guide to salted vs unsalted nuts walks through the trade-offs.

Where to Buy Good Kaju Online

For ready-to-eat snacking, Khan Dry Fruits' salted cashews 250g pack and roasted salted kaju are packed from graded whole kernels — the kind of stock we would serve our own guests. You can buy kaju online in Pakistan along with the rest of the dry fruit range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does W240 mean in cashews?

W240 means "whole white" cashew kernels, with roughly 220–240 kernels per pound (about 450g). The W stands for whole and white (unbroken, ivory-coloured); the 240 is the kernel count per pound — so a lower number means a bigger cashew.

Is W240 better than W320?

For size and appearance, yes — W240 kernels are visibly bigger. For taste and nutrition, no — they are identical. W240 is the better choice for gifting and serving guests; W320 is the better value for everyday snacking and cooking.

Which cashew grade is best for eating?

W320 for daily eating (best value, same flavour), W240 when you want the premium look and a meatier bite. For cooking, save money with broken grades like LWP — they taste the same in a curry.

Why are W180 cashews so expensive?

W180 is the largest grade — only 170–180 kernels per pound. Bigger whole kernels are rarer (fewer survive shelling intact at that size), and they are bought mainly for premium gifting and weddings, where appearance commands a premium. Scarcity plus prestige pricing.

Do cashew grades change the nutrition?

No. Grade describes size and appearance only. A W180 and a W320 kernel have the same nutrition per gram — roughly 553 kcal, 18g protein and 44g fat per 100g per USDA FoodData Central.

What is SWP grade cashew?

SWP stands for "scorched wholes pieces" — cashew kernels that are broken or slightly discoloured from the roasting process. They taste the same as whole grades but cost much less, making them ideal for cooking, mithai and grinding into paste.

How should I store cashews to keep them crunchy?

Airtight container, cool and dark — away from the stove. At room temperature they stay crisp for 4–6 weeks; in the fridge, several months. Roasted kaju stales fastest, so buy quantities you will finish quickly and re-seal the packet every time.

Sources: Grade definitions per international cashew trade specifications (W = whole white; number = kernels per pound); nutrition from USDA FoodData Central (cashews, raw). Price bands from September 2026 Pakistan retail research. This is general information, not medical advice.