West African Nuts Direct brings cashews to Britain without the 20,000 mile detour

A new Bristol-based importer is 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 region’s 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 the first shipments of cashews arriving in the UK this month, West African Nuts Direct hopes to begin turning the tide on one of the world’s most outdated and inefficient food systems, working with wholesalers, catering suppliers, retailers and producers of artisan and premium goods to bring premium West African cashews to the UK marketplace.

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:

“At 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 grower’s 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 – while quadrupling food miles and vastly increasing the carbon footprint of the product. It’s nuts, right?. It will take time, but we’re working directly with West African growing communities to change all of that.”

For more information about West African Nuts Direct, visit www.westafricannuts.com.