First, choose cashews with a verifiable organic certification, then pick the preparation that suits your needs: unroasted, roasted without added salt, or deliberately salted. If you’re selling them at a Christmas market, it matters whether you leave the packaging intact or mix or repackage the nuts yourself. In the latter case, ask Skal Biocontrole to assess your process against the relevant rules.
You’re looking for organic cashews for a simple breakfast and want to choose between unroasted nuts with no oil and roasted nuts with no added salt. Albert Heijn and PLUS list product options to suit these different preferences.
You want to sell existing consumer packs without opening them. Net weight, your current purchasing route and the rules for your sales outlet are all important.
You want to sell organic nuts loose, mix them or repackage them. Skal Biocontrole sets out conditions for organic sales, while the NVWA provides rules on allergen information and safe food handling.
Start by checking the organic certification, then choose based on preparation and how you plan to sell the nuts. An organic product doesn’t automatically mean you can mix or repackage it yourself.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Organic certification | Check the EU organic logo, the control code and the indication of the origin of the agricultural raw materials. The European Commission states that the logo may only be used on products certified as organic by an approved control body. | If you want to be sure of a product’s organic status before buying it for breakfast or a market, this should be your top priority. Around 25% of consumers put organic certification first. |
| Preparation and ingredients | Read the ingredients list and check whether the nuts are unroasted, roasted, salted or unsalted. Unsalted doesn’t automatically mean that no oil has been added. | If you’re looking for a particular preparation for breakfast or a snack, check both the oil and salt content. Around 25% of consumers prioritise the suitability of the preparation and ingredients. |
| Quantity and purchasing route | Compare the net weight with the portions you’re planning to serve, and check the current shop or ordering route and the best-before date of the batch delivered. | If you’re buying for a Christmas market and want to avoid having too much left over, the packaging and delivery route are key. Around 25% of consumers put this purchasing plan first. |
| Selling and allergens | Check the allergen information on the specific pack or recipe. Decide whether you’ll leave the packaging intact, sell the nuts loose, mix them or repackage them, and ask Skal Biocontrole which conditions apply to your process. | If you’re selling nuts at a market, you’ll want to do so safely and in line with the applicable rules. Around 25% of consumers make safe handling and compliant selling their top priority. |
A description of how the nuts are prepared doesn’t, by itself, say anything about organic certification. The European Commission and Skal Biocontrole explain that organic claims are protected.
Check the EU organic logo and its control code on the packaging, separately from any wording about preparation.
Mixing and repackaging may require a different certification assessment from reselling the original pack unopened. Skal Biocontrole also sets out conditions and possible exemptions for selling unpackaged products.
Decide in advance how you’ll sell the nuts and ask Skal Biocontrole to assess which rules apply to your specific process.
If certification applies, processing the nuts yourself may involve extra administration.
The organic roasted unsalted varieties from Albert Heijn and BIO+ included in this review contain sunflower oil.
Check the ingredients and preparation separately if you want to avoid added oil.
The NVWA requires allergen information to clearly identify the specific nuts involved.
Specify cashews and check which other allergens are present in your particular recipe.
If you change the recipe, check the associated allergen information again.
Albert Heijn lists organic cashews in both unroasted and roasted unsalted varieties.
PLUS sells organic roasted cashews under the BIO+ product name, both with and without added salt.
Jumbo has product listings for organic unroasted cashews in 150 g and 175 g packs.
Lidl has a Dutch product listing called Organic cashews.
Duyvis Cashews Original is a roasted snack, not a verified organic option.
ALDI lists a 250 g roasted unsalted cashew variety under the Trader Joe’s brand.
No, not automatically. According to the European Commission, the logo can only be used under certain conditions. These include at least 95% of ingredients of agricultural origin being organic; conditions also apply to the remaining ingredients. So check the ingredients list and organic claims on the packaging.
That depends on your sales activities and the conditions that apply. Skal Biocontrole lists mixing and repackaging as activities that may require an organic certificate. Conditional exemptions are available for certain types of direct sales of unpackaged products. Don’t assume you’re automatically exempt; ask Skal to assess your specific process.
Name cashews specifically, along with any other allergens present in the particular product or recipe. The NVWA says the information can be provided in writing, for example on a sign or menu. You may provide it verbally under certain conditions: the information must be available before purchase, recorded in writing or electronically, and customers must be able to see at the point of sale that they can ask for it.
The fact that it’s a Christmas market doesn’t, by itself, determine which requirements apply. The NVWA says that anyone who prepares and sells food several times a year must have a food safety plan based on HACCP. Food safety rules also apply to private individuals selling at a market. Check the rules against your own activities.
Follow the instructions on the packaging of the variety you buy. The roasted variety from Albert Heijn included in this review says to store it in a cool, dark, dry place and reseal the pack properly after use. BIO+ says to store its product in a dry, dark place.
