Dry Fruits & Nuts — Line 05
Walnuts
Kashmiri kernels graded on colour, from light halves down to broken pieces, plus in-shell for retail. A high-fat nut where storage discipline matters more than almost anything else.
About the line
Light halves are a colour grade.
Walnut kernels are graded almost entirely on colour, running from extra light through light, light amber and amber. It is not a cosmetic ranking — darker kernels are generally older, more oxidised, or from later harvest, and they carry more bitterness. Light halves command the highest price and go into gifting, retail packs and anywhere the nut is visible. Amber pieces cost far less and are perfectly good in a brownie.
The thing that ruins walnuts is not contamination, it is time and warmth. Walnut kernels are around 65% fat, most of it polyunsaturated, and they will go rancid faster than any other nut in this range. A consignment that was excellent at origin can be noticeably stale after a hot month in the wrong warehouse. We ship vacuum-packed, we recommend cold storage in the UK, and we would rather sell you a smaller quantity more often than a pallet that turns before you sell through it.
Grades
Colour and format.
Price moves sharply across the colour grades. Buy the grade the application actually needs rather than the one that photographs best.
| Format | Colour grade | Kernel size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kernels, halves | Extra light / light | Halves, minimal breakage | Gifting, retail, garnish |
| Kernels, halves & pieces | Light / light amber | Mixed halves and quarters | Bakery, cereal, snacking |
| Kernels, quarters | Light amber | Quarters | Inclusions, bars, dairy |
| Kernels, broken / pieces | Amber | Small pieces | Bakery, fillings, pastes |
| In-shell | — | 32–34 mm typical | Retail, seasonal, gifting |
Specification
Moisture below 5% on kernels. Aflatoxin within GB maximum levels, certified per lot. Colour grade agreed in writing before shipment, with a retained sample held against it.
Packing
10 kg vacuum packs in food-grade cartons, palletised. Nitrogen flush on request. We strongly recommend vacuum or flushed packing on every walnut line, not only the premium grades.
Applications
Retail and gifting packs, bakery and patisserie, cereal, granola and bars, ice cream and dairy inclusions, and mithai.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask
How long will walnut kernels keep?
In vacuum or nitrogen-flushed packaging held at cool temperature, comfortably several months. Loose in a warm ambient warehouse, considerably less — you will taste the difference before the best-before date arrives. If your turnover is slow, buy smaller and more often; we would rather do that than have you write off a pallet.
What is the difference between Kashmiri and Californian walnuts?
Kashmiri walnuts are typically smaller, thinner-shelled and more intensely flavoured; Californian are larger and more uniform, which suits high-speed retail packing. Neither is simply better. Tell us the application and we will tell you which one your product actually wants.
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 walnut quotation.
Tell us the colour grade and the format. We will send the certificate of the lot we are quoting, with a delivered price.