A new Bristol-based importer has opened for business this month, working with West African growers to bring their cashews directly to the UK, without the need for the standard 20,000 mile detour to processing plants in Southeast Asia. Founded by Temi Garrick, West African Nuts Direct is aiming to raise awareness of a food system that is bad for Africa, bad for the nuts and bad for the planet, while implementing solutions that can enhance economic development in the regionâs farming communities.
While consumers become increasingly concerned with provenance and the carbon footprint of their food and drink, 95% of West African cashews continue to be processed in Southeast Asia, adding thousands of food miles as they make their way to countries like the UK. This means less fresh cashews, with an extra three months of travel between harvest and retail, but also less jobs and opportunities for economic growth in cashew producing countries in West Africa.
With its first cashew shipments now arriving in the UK, West African Nuts Direct hopes to start turning the tide on one of the worldâs most outdated and inefficient food systems. Working to establish premium West African cashews as a mainstay of the UK marketplace, the organisation will supply wholesalers, catering suppliers and retailers, as well as producers of artisan and speciality goods.
By supporting the domestic processing of cashews, the company plans to enhance and fuel the steady development of the industry in West Africa, which is the largest cashew-producing region in the world, meaning rural communities can realise the full economic potential of their raw product.
Temi Garrick, founder of West African Nuts Direct, commented: âAt a time when people are more conscious than ever of issues like global economic inequality and our impact on the environment, the story of West African cashews has gone almost entirely under the radar. While an extra three months in transit means that we can never enjoy the growerâs best work in the UK, what really leaves a bad taste in the mouth is how jobs and opportunities in the region are being shipped off to Southeast Asia along with the cashews â while quadrupling food miles and vastly increasing the carbon footprint of the product. Itâs nuts, right?. It will take time, but weâre working directly with West African growing communities to change all of that.â
Wholesalers, catering suppliers, retailers and producers can request pricing information from West African Nuts Direct by emailing hello@westafricannuts.com.
