Dry Fruits & Nuts — Line 09
Makhana
Popped lotus seed from the wetlands of Bihar, size graded and moisture controlled. The fastest-growing healthy-snack base in the UK, and almost nobody supplies it properly.
About the line
A snack base with a very short supply chain.
Makhana is the popped seed of the prickly water lily, harvested from ponds in Bihar, roasted and burst by hand. Nutritionally it is close to an ideal snack base — high protein for a puff, low fat, gluten free — and the UK market has caught on quickly. The problem for a brand is supply: the crop is regionally concentrated, the processing is largely manual, and grading standards vary enormously between suppliers.
It is graded by the diameter of the popped seed, and the large grades cost substantially more because fewer seeds pop that cleanly. The other variable is moisture. Makhana is extremely hygroscopic and will go from crisp to leathery in a matter of days in an open container. That makes packaging a formulation decision rather than an afterthought: sealed, low moisture, ideally nitrogen flushed if the pack is going to sit on a shelf.
Grades
How makhana is graded.
Grade is popped diameter. Larger grades are more expensive because a smaller share of the crop pops that cleanly.
| Grade | Popped size | Character | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sutta (premium) | Largest | Bright white, uniform, fully popped | Premium retail, gifting |
| 5 Sutta | Large | White, uniform | Retail snacking packs |
| 4 Sutta | Medium | Good uniformity | Flavoured snacks, catering |
| 3 Sutta and below | Small | Mixed size | Milling, flour, blends |
| Makhana flour | Milled | Fine powder | Bakery, gluten-free formats |
Specification
Grade by popped diameter, moisture tightly controlled, and unpopped-seed and blackened-seed tolerances agreed before shipment. Microbiology reported per lot.
Packing
Sealed food-grade cartons with liner; nitrogen flush strongly recommended. Makhana is bulky and light, so we quote transport on volume rather than pretending weight is the constraint.
Applications
Roasted and flavoured snack brands, healthy-snacking retail, gluten-free bakery via makhana flour, traditional Indian cooking, and gifting assortments.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask
Why does makhana go soft so quickly?
It is highly hygroscopic and will take up moisture from the air within days once a container is open. If you are packing it for retail, treat barrier packaging and ideally nitrogen flushing as part of the product rather than an upgrade — a crisp makhana that has gone leathery on shelf is a returned product.
Can you supply flavoured or roasted makhana?
We supply the plain graded base, which is what most UK brands want because the flavour system is their own. If you need roasted or seasoned material we can quote it, but the shelf-life and packaging conversation becomes more important, not less.
What is the minimum order?
One pallet per line. On a first order we will accept a mixed pallet across two or more lines so you can trial the range without committing a full pallet to each.
What testing is done before shipment?
Aflatoxin, pesticide residue, moisture, microbiology and foreign-matter screening as standard, reported on a Certificate of Analysis tied to the lot you are buying. We test before the goods ship, not after they land, because a failed consignment sitting in a UK bonded warehouse is nobody's idea of a saving.
Who handles importing and customs?
We do. Aarleez Ltd is the importer of record, clears GB import controls, and quotes delivered duty paid to your address, so the number you accept is the number you pay. Ex-warehouse collection is available if you prefer to run your own leg.
How long from order to delivery?
One to two weeks from order confirmation to a UK address on lines we hold or can draw against. Crop-dependent lines can take longer, and we quote the real date rather than the optimistic one.
Can you pack under our own brand?
Yes. Retail-ready and private-label packing is available, including nitrogen flush where shelf life matters. Send us your artwork and pack format and we will quote the packed price rather than the bulk price plus a vague conversion cost.
Also in the range
The rest of the dry fruit range.
Next step
Ask for a makhana quotation.
Tell us the grade and the pack format. We will send a delivered price and an honest view of what the packaging needs to do.