How many kilograms of freeze-dried cashews fit in a 20 ft container, and which format lowers freight per kg?
A 20 ft container takes about 550 cartons of freeze-dried cashews floor-loaded, which is 5.5–11 t net depending on the format. Whole kernels and splits fill a 58 × 28 × 34 cm carton at 10–15 kg, so a 20 ft carries 5.5–8.25 t. Pieces and dice reach up to 20 kg per carton and up to 11 t per 20 ft, which cuts sea freight per kilogram by roughly 25–50%.
The reason is physical. A freeze-dried cashew is light and porous, so the carton fills by volume long before it reaches a heavy weight. Packing whole kernels at 10–15 kg is what lets each W240 or W320 kernel arrive whole and evenly curved, the way your shopper expects to find it in the pouch, instead of a bag of fragments from cartons pressed to 20 kg. Choosing the right format for each product, and the right loading plan for your warehouse, is where the freight saving comes from. All figures refer to FruitBuys freeze-dried cashew nuts.
Cartons and tonnes per container
| Format | Net per carton | 20 ft floor-loaded (550 cartons) | 20 ft palletised (300–360 cartons) | 40 ft HC floor-loaded (~1,100 cartons) | 40 ft HC palletised (600–750 cartons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole W240 / W320 / W450, splits | 10–15 kg | 5.5–8.25 t | 3.0–5.4 t | 11–16.5 t | 6.0–11.25 t |
| Pieces, dice 2–4 mm / 4–6 mm | up to 20 kg | up to 11 t | up to 7.2 t | planned at 20–21 t | up to 15 t |
Every load goes in a standard dry container, with no reefer. Pallets are 1,200 × 1,000 mm, carrying 30–36 cartons each: 10 pallets in a 20 ft, 20–21 in a 40 ft HC. Pieces and dice in a full 40 ft HC are planned at 20–21 t net to stay within container and road weight limits.
Floor-loaded or palletised? Floor loading puts the most product in each container and gives the lowest freight per kilogram; the cartons are unloaded by hand at your warehouse. Pallets carry about 35–45% fewer cartons but unload by forklift in a fraction of the time. Floor loading usually wins for a manufacturer receiving a few containers a year; pallets suit a distribution centre receiving often with a fixed unloading slot.
Why does carton weight follow the format?
Because the carton fills up by volume first. The standard export carton holds about 55 litres, of which around 41–47 litres is product once the bulk bags and their headspace are in. Whole freeze-dried kernels weigh about 0.25–0.40 kg per litre, so the carton is full at roughly 12–17 kg and is packed at 10–15 kg. Pieces and dice sit tighter, fill the same space with more product and reach 16–20 kg.
Pressing whole kernels to 20 kg would need a density of about 0.43–0.48 kg per litre. The porous kernels would crack under that pressure, and broken kernels would climb past the ≤10% tolerance written into every whole-grade specification. You would pay less freight per kilogram and receive a lower grade, which is why I set whole grades at 10–15 kg per carton. Pieces and dice have no shape to protect, so they take the full 20 kg without loss.
Which cut suits which product, from snack pouches to bars and cereal, is set out in which cashew grade and freeze-dried cut fits your line.
The 1-litre cup test
Bulk density is also the quickest check that a “freeze-dried” cashew really is one. Fill a 1-litre cup with whole kernels, level the top without pressing, and weigh it:
| Cup weight (whole kernels) | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| 250–400 g | Typical for freeze-dried whole kernels; expect 10–15 kg per carton |
| Well above 430 g | Kernels dried without moisture conditioning, or a high share of broken pieces; ask for the grade tolerance and the conditioning step in the batch record |
A properly conditioned kernel has a fine porous structure inside, which is what makes it light, crisp and quick to melt. A dense kernel breaks with a glassy core and eats like a raw cashew. Run the cup test on the sample and again on arrival; it takes two minutes and needs nothing but a scale.
What does each format do to freight per kilogram?
Freight is charged per container, so the cost per kilogram falls as the net weight inside rises:
Freight per kg = container freight ÷ net kg in the container
Illustrative cost-in-use example (not a quotation): at USD 2,000 for a 20 ft container, floor-loaded,
| Format and carton weight | Net per 20 ft | Freight per kg |
|---|---|---|
| Whole kernels at 10 kg | 5.5 t | USD 0.36 |
| Whole kernels at 15 kg | 8.25 t | USD 0.24 |
| Pieces or dice at 20 kg | 11 t | USD 0.18 |
Against whole kernels at 10–15 kg, pieces and dice at 20 kg bring sea freight per kilogram down by roughly 25–50%, before counting their lower price per kilogram. For a bar, granola or bakery line where the whole kernel is never seen, that saving goes straight into margin. Keep whole grades for the products where the curved kernel is what the shopper pays for, and buy everything else as pieces or dice.
How do you fill a container when one product is not enough?
Under about a tonne, a container of cashews alone rarely pays. Two options keep the cost down:
- LCL for a first trial or a small top-up order, accepting a higher cost per kilogram.
- A shared container with other FruitBuys freeze-dried products, such as freeze-dried mango, jackfruit or pineapple. Filling one container across several products costs about 15–20% less in logistics per kilogram than shipping the same goods LCL, and every item arrives under one set of documents.
Freeze-dried fruit and freeze-dried cashews sit at the same low water activity, so they travel side by side without any moisture moving between cartons, and they can go straight into the same trail mix at your plant. Blends packed ready-mixed are covered in freeze-dried fruit and cashew mixes.
How is the container stuffed, and what about rain and heat?
Cartons of one size are loaded in straight columns, 8 across the width of the container. Two stuffing heights are used:
| Layers | Cartons per 20 ft | Headroom | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | about 480 | about 35 cm under the roof | Rainy routes and seasons: the gap keeps cartons clear of roof condensation |
| 7 | about 550–560 | Reaches the roof | Standard loading, maximum product per container |
Two route risks are worth planning around. In rainy seasons, choose six layers so the top cartons stay clear of the roof. In summer, avoid leaving a loaded container standing in direct sun at the port, because heat speeds up fat oxidation in any nut. Inside, each bulk bag is sealed foil with a desiccant sachet, so the kernels keep their water activity through transit. How long the product keeps once it reaches your warehouse is explained in how long freeze-dried cashews stay fresh.
Get a loading plan with your quote
Send the formats, volumes and destination, and we return a loading plan, floor-loaded or palletised, with the quote. A 20 ft container is produced in 20–30 days after deposit. Email [email protected] or message WhatsApp Export +84 919 739 589.
FAQ
How many cartons of freeze-dried cashews fit in a 20 ft container?
About 550 cartons of 58 × 28 × 34 cm floor-loaded, or 300–360 cartons on 10 pallets.
How many kilograms fit in a 40 ft HC container?
About 1,100 cartons floor-loaded: 11–16.5 t of whole kernels, or pieces and dice planned at 20–21 t net within weight limits.
What is the bulk density of freeze-dried cashews?
Whole freeze-dried kernels typically weigh 250–400 g per litre. Pieces and dice pack tighter, which is why they fill a carton to 20 kg.
Why are whole kernels packed only 10–15 kg per carton?
They are light and porous, so the carton is full by volume at that weight. Pressing them to 20 kg would break them past the 10% tolerance for whole grades.
Should I order floor-loaded or palletised?
Floor loading gives the most kilograms per container and the lowest freight per kilogram. Pallets carry fewer cartons but unload by forklift. We quote both.
Do freeze-dried cashews need a refrigerated container?
No. They travel in a standard dry container, sealed in foil bags with desiccant.
Can I combine cashews with freeze-dried fruit in one container?
Yes. A shared container with other FruitBuys freeze-dried products costs about 15–20% less in logistics per kilogram than LCL.
