How Cashew Currently Flows Out of Africa — and Why Most of the Value Still Leaves the Continent

Africa sits at the center of the global cashew industry. The continent produces more than 60% of the world’s raw cashew nuts (RCN), yet for decades most of the real profits from cashew processing, branding, and retail have been captured outside Africa.

Today, the global cashew trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry linking African farmers, Asian processors, European retailers, and global food manufacturers. Understanding how this supply chain works is critical for African producers, exporters, policymakers, and investors who want to move up the value chain.

1. How Cashew Flows Out of Africa

Step 1: Production in Africa

The largest African cashew-producing countries include:

Côte d'Ivoire

Nigeria

Ghana

Benin

Guinea-Bissau

Tanzania

Mozambique

Africa produces approximately 2.4–2.8 million metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually.

The largest producer globally is now Côte d’Ivoire, with projected production around 1.3 million metric tonnes in 2025.

Most African farmers sell raw cashew nuts through:

village aggregators

cooperatives

licensed buying agents

commodity traders

export warehouses near ports

The nuts are dried and bagged before export.

2. The Traditional Cashew Export Route

For many years, the dominant trade route has looked like this:

Africa → Asia → Europe/USA/China

The flow typically works like this:

A. African farmers produce raw nuts

The nuts are harvested with shells intact.

B. Exporters consolidate shipments

Containers are loaded mainly through ports such as:

Abidjan

Tema

Lagos

Cotonou

Dar es Salaam

Maputo

C. Raw nuts shipped to Asia

The majority of African raw cashew nuts are exported to:

Vietnam

India

D. Processing occurs in Asia

The nuts are:

steamed

shelled

peeled

graded

roasted

vacuum packed

E. Kernels exported globally

Finished cashew kernels are then sold to:

Europe

United States

China

Middle East

Japan

This means Africa historically exported low-value raw product while Asia captured:

processing margins

branding profits

export premiums

retail markups

3. Who Is the Global Leader in Cashew Processing?

The undisputed global leader in cashew processing is:

Vietnam

Vietnam dominates the industry because of:

massive mechanized processing capacity

advanced shelling technology

export infrastructure

scale efficiencies

global buyer relationships

According to industry sources:

Vietnam accounts for approximately 80% of global cashew kernel exports.

Around 93% of global cashew processing has historically occurred in Vietnam and India combined.

Vietnam exported roughly 537,000 tonnes of cashew kernels in 2024.

4. How Much African Cashew Does Vietnam Consume?

This is where Africa’s importance becomes very clear.

Vietnam itself produces only a small fraction of the raw cashew nuts it processes.

According to market data:

Vietnam produces only about 6% of global raw cashew supply, yet dominates exports because it imports huge volumes for processing.

About 57% of Vietnam’s raw cashew nuts are imported, largely from Africa and Cambodia. �

African Cashew Alliance

In some years, Vietnam imports more than 2.4 million tonnes of raw cashews.

Côte d’Ivoire alone has historically exported 70–80% of its crop to Vietnam.

Major African suppliers to Vietnam include:

Côte d’Ivoire

Ghana

Nigeria

Tanzania

Senegal

Benin

In practical terms, much of the cashew consumed in Europe and America may have originated in Africa but was processed and exported by Vietnam.

5. Why Vietnam Became Dominant

Vietnam transformed the industry through:

Mechanisation

Vietnam heavily automated shelling and grading, reducing labor costs and increasing efficiency.

Government support

The Vietnamese government supported:

export financing

processing zones

trade infrastructure

industrial scaling

Global buyer relationships

Vietnam built direct supply relationships with:

supermarkets

snack brands

confectionery companies

food ingredient manufacturers

Processing expertise

Vietnam became extremely efficient at:

kernel recovery rates

grading consistency

food safety standards

container logistics

As a result, Vietnam became the global hub between African farmers and Western consumers.

6. The Top 5 End Users of Cashew Globally

Cashews are no longer just a snack product. Demand now spans food manufacturing, plant-based foods, health products, and confectionery.

1. Snack Industry

The largest global consumer segment is still:

roasted cashews

salted nuts

mixed nut snacks

Major retailers and snack brands across Europe and the US consume huge volumes.

2. Confectionery Manufacturers

Major global confectionery companies use cashews in:

chocolates

nut clusters

desserts

bakery products

premium sweets

Key buyers include companies such as:

Nestlé

Mars

Barry Callebaut

3. Plant-Based Food Industry

One of the fastest-growing segments globally.

Cashews are widely used for:

vegan milk

vegan cheese

cream substitutes

protein products

dairy alternatives

Health-conscious consumers in Europe and North America have driven rapid expansion.

4. Food Service and Hospitality

Hotels, airlines, restaurants, and catering firms use premium cashews in:

sauces

curries

desserts

premium cuisine

airline snacks

5. Retail Supermarkets & Private Labels

European supermarkets increasingly source cashew products under:

organic labels

Fairtrade brands

private label health ranges

Major retail markets include:

Germany

United Kingdom

Netherlands

France

Italy

7. How Demand Has Risen in Europe

Europe has become one of the world’s fastest-growing cashew consumption markets.

Key reasons include:

Health trends

Consumers increasingly see cashews as:

high-protein

nutrient-rich

plant-based

heart-healthy

Vegan and plant-based diets

Cashews are central to dairy alternatives.

Premium snacking growth

Consumers are shifting from processed snacks toward healthier premium nuts.

Organic and ethical sourcing

European buyers increasingly demand:

traceability

sustainability

ethical sourcing

organic certification

European Cashew Demand Statistics

According to European market studies:

European cashew imports grew at an average annual rate of 5.4% between 2020 and 2024.

The European market is expected to continue growing at 5–6% annually over the next five years.

Africa’s share of the European cashew kernel market rose to 11% in 2021, making Africa the second-largest exporter to Europe behind Vietnam.

Vietnam still controls approximately 77% of Europe’s imported kernel market.

Europe is especially important because European buyers typically pay premiums for:

food safety

organic certification

Fairtrade products

ESG compliance

traceability

8. The Big Opportunity for Africa

Africa produces the raw material but still captures only a small fraction of the final value chain.

Historically:

less than 10–15% of African cashew was processed locally

most profits remained in Asia and Western retail markets

However, this is beginning to change.

Countries like:

Côte d’Ivoire

Benin

Ghana

Nigeria

Tanzania

are now investing heavily in:

local processing plants

industrial parks

export-ready factories

food safety certification

value addition

West African processing volumes reportedly surged more than 50% year-on-year recently as governments push local processing policies.

9. Why Local Processing Matters for Africa

If Africa processes more cashew locally, the continent can capture:

more export earnings

industrial jobs

foreign currency

manufacturing growth

branded food exports

Instead of exporting raw nuts at low margins, Africa could increasingly export:

roasted cashews

packaged retail products

organic certified kernels

private label products

cashew butter

plant-based ingredients

That is where the real long-term value lies.

The global cashew industry is one of the clearest examples of Africa supplying raw agricultural wealth while much of the value creation happens elsewhere.

Africa produces the majority of the world’s raw cashew nuts, yet countries like Vietnam dominate processing, exports, and global buyer relationships. Europe’s rapidly growing demand for healthy, traceable, and plant-based foods is creating a major opportunity for African producers to move beyond raw commodity exports into higher-value processing and branded exports.

The next decade will likely determine whether Africa remains mainly a supplier of raw nuts — or becomes a true global processing and export powerhouse in the cashew industry.