GRIA cashews help farmers in Africa earn a living

From the Boston Globe:

The cashews from GRIA, a new Boston-based company, are distinctively buttery and plump. The nuts (cashews are technically seeds) are packaged in re-sealable pouches and offered either roasted plain or salted, or lightly seasoned with herbs and spices that don’t overshadow their pure taste. You can choose from flavors like Rosemary Salted, Hot Honey, and Cinnamon Sugar. The most robust flavor is the Spicy Garlic with cayenne. Joshua Reed-Diawuoh founded GRIA, which stands for Grown In Africa, in 2019 after graduating from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, although it was initially a business school project. “It’s personal,” he says about his purpose for starting the company. “I want to support farmers and agricultural developers in West Africa and make sure they’re compensated for their labor.” While born and raised in Boston, Reed-Diawuoh’s roots are in Ghana, where he still has relatives long involved in agriculture. In his many visits to the country and working with producers, he saw their struggles firsthand. To help farmers, he sources only fair trade cashews from the countries Benin, Togo, and Burkina Faso, purchasing only those that are de-shelled, peeled, and roasted there (cashews are customarily exported for processing, usually in Asia) ensuring that more job opportunities and revenue stay local. “This allows producers to earn a living,” he says. Reed-Diawuoh works from CommonWealth Kitchen in Dorchester, where he seasons and packages his cashews after they arrive ($9.99 for 5 ounces). He’s toying with new flavors and perhaps more snack foods down the road. griafoodco.com.