Natural Hazelnut Kernel

Natural Hazelnut Kernel — Balsu Gıda

The World's Most Trusted Hazelnut, Now Available from Two Hemispheres

Balsu Gıda's Natural Hazelnut Kernel represents over four decades of uncompromising expertise in hazelnut processing. As the world's largest hazelnut processor and exporter operating under one roof, Balsu supplies premium-grade natural kernels to more than 70 global customers — including Ferrero, Mondelēz, Storck, Pladis, Barry Callebaut, and Ritter Sport — who collectively represent the highest quality benchmarks in the confectionery industry.

Dual-Origin Supply: Turkey & Chile

What sets Balsu's Natural Hazelnut Kernel apart from every other supplier in the global market is a structurally unique dual-hemisphere sourcing model. Balsu operates large-scale processing facilities in both Hendek, Sakarya (Turkey) and the Maule region of Chile — two of the world's premier hazelnut-growing zones — delivering something no single-origin supplier can match: uninterrupted, year-round availability.

Turkey's Black Sea region, where Balsu has been sourcing directly from 12,000 farmers since 1985, produces the benchmark crop of the global hazelnut industry, harvested every August–September. Chile's Maule region, where Balsu Agro Chile SpA and Balsu Industries Chile SpA operate across 160 hectares with 70,000 trees under management, delivers a complementary southern hemisphere harvest in February–March. The result is a supply window that spans the entire calendar year — eliminating seasonal gaps, reducing single-origin dependency, and providing buyers with a structural hedge against climate-related disruptions in any one growing region.

With industrial-scale production commenced in Chile in Q1 2026, Balsu now offers immediate global readiness from both origins across 39 countries.

Processing Excellence at Scale

Every natural hazelnut kernel supplied by Balsu passes through a fully vertically integrated processing chain — from raw inshell receiving all the way through to final kernel grading, sorting, and dispatch. The Hendek facility alone handles 2,750 tons of inshell hazelnut per day, with a global cracking capacity of 1,200 tons per day and a kernel processing capacity of 600 tons per day. Approximately 18,000 tons of silo storage ensures consistent supply continuity.

Balsu's proprietary self-engineered cracking and sorting systems — developed entirely in-house with multiple patent applications in progress — deliver industry-leading kernel integrity, minimizing defects and maximizing yield consistency across every lot. The Chile facility is equipped with 5 high-precision sorters and digital kernel inspection technology for 100% quality control at every processing stage.

Quality You Can Certify

Balsu's Natural Hazelnut Kernel is produced under one of the most comprehensive quality management frameworks in the industry, verified by globally recognized independent bodies. Current certifications and program memberships include:

• BRC Food Safety (AA grade)
• IFS (International Food Standard)
• ISO 22000
• USDA Organic (organic-certified options available)
• Rainforest Alliance — member since 2014, with Identity Preserved (IP) traceability, the highest level available
• FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance
• Fair Labor Association — member since 2013; representative of the FLA European Committee in agriculture
• EcoVadis sustainability assessment
• SMETA audit (Sedex)
• KTP certification

From raw material sourcing to final dispatch, every step is covered by Balsu's integrated quality management system, validated by TÜV Austria and BDO. Organic-certified kernel is available upon request for buyers operating in clean-label or certified organic product lines.

Traceability & Sustainability: The B.E.S.T Program

Balsu's proprietary B.E.S.T (Balsu Ethical, Sustainable, Traceable) program governs the full upstream supply chain. Built on three pillars — Ethical production, Sustainable agriculture, and end-to-end digital Traceability — B.E.S.T ensures that every kernel can be traced back to its farm of origin. The program actively addresses child labor prevention, soil and water management, carbon footprint reduction, and capacity building among smallholder farmers. In Chile, 100% mechanized farming and harvesting practices further strengthen supply chain integrity and food safety consistency.

Packaging Options

Balsu Natural Hazelnut Kernel is available in a full range of industrial and retail packaging formats to suit any procurement requirement:

Industrial/Bulk: Tanker Trucks (22,000 kg), IBC Tanks (1,000 kg), Big Bags (750–1,000 kg), Well-Aired Big Bags (1,000 kg), Plastic Barrels (30–220 kg), Metal Barrels (25–210 kg)

Retail/Smaller: Jute Bags (50–80 kg), Vacuum Packages (10–25 kg), Plastic Barrels (20 kg), Plastic Buckets (10–14 kg), Doypacks (under 2 kg)

Why Balsu

Balsu has been the hazelnut supplier of choice for the world's most demanding confectionery manufacturers since 1979 — when Ritter Sport became its very first customer. Today, with a publicly traded structure (IPO completed February 2025), dual-hemisphere production infrastructure, best-in-class processing technology, and an unmatched sustainability framework, Balsu offers buyers not just a product, but a supply partnership built for long-term continuity.

For buyers seeking natural hazelnut kernel with guaranteed quality, certified traceability, and year-round availability from two of the world's finest growing regions — Balsu is the single source that delivers it all.