<p>Processed cashew nut products will be sold directly to supermarkets in the U.S. in the near future, marking the first time local cashew brands are on the shelves of American retailers.</p> <p>Dang Hoang Giang, general secretary of the Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas), said U.S. giant retailer Kroger would buy 100 containers of cashew nuts, salt roasted cashew or bee honey soaked cashew from Vietnamese suppliers for distribution at its supermarkets and retail stores stateside annually.</p> <p>As Vietnamese firms have mainly exported unprocessed cashews to the U.S., the export of local processed cashew products with more added value stateside is expected to make the country’s brands popular among American consumers, Giang said.</p> <p>Vietnam exports at least 150,000 tons of cashew products to the U.S., China and Europe annually but most products are raw materials only, while processed cashew products of local companies have been struggling to enter supermarkets in foreign markets.</p> <p> </p>