GUIDE
Bulk Pistachio Sourcing Guide
A buyer's guide to varieties, sizes, kernels and smart sourcing strategies.
Pistachios are bought by variety and by size, and the two together decide the price far more than origin marketing does. Knowing which combination your product needs is the single biggest lever on cost.
Varieties
Akbari is long and slim, the premium snacking variety and the most expensive. Ahmad Aghaei is also long but slightly smaller, widely used for retail packs. Fandoghi is round and smaller, the highest-volume variety and the usual choice for confectionery and processing. Kalleh Ghouchi is round and large, sitting between the two on price.
Size and count
Size is quoted as ounce count — the number of nuts per ounce — and a lower count means larger nuts and a higher price. For snacking, size is visible and worth paying for. For anything where the nut is chopped, ground or baked into a product, paying for size is money the end customer never sees.
What to check
Ask for moisture content, the percentage of closed shells, and aflatoxin test results — the last one is not optional for most import markets and a supplier who is vague about it should be avoided. Confirm the crop year, because pistachios stored badly lose quality quickly.
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