Choose individually wrapped portions if you want to hand each customer a set portion quickly at your oliebollen stall. A large pack of biscuits is more practical for comparing net weight and the number of portions, but once opened, you’ll need a plan for serving and storing them. If you offer biscuits unwrapped, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must be available to customers.
If you hand out a biscuit with a coffee or an order, pre-portioned packs can make serving easier. Lotus Bakeries, for example, lists a box of 300 individually wrapped Biscoff biscuits. Jumbo also lists a retail pack with ten bags, each containing two XL biscuits.
If you want to work out in advance how many portions you can serve, compare both the net weight and the stated number of portions. Jumbo lists around 2 × 27 portions for the McVitie's multipack of 2 × 400 g. This is a different pack from a single 400 g pack.
If you want to offer a few types of biscuits alongside oliebollen, first decide which ones you actually plan to serve. ALDI lists Biscotto packs by weight or number of biscuits, while Lidl offers a range of biscuits under its Sondey brand. Check the specific product and the range at the branch where you plan to shop.
First decide whether you’ll hand out sealed portions or serve biscuits from an opened pack. Then compare the usable quantity and check what product information you need to provide to customers for that way of selling.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving each customer | Check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped and how many portions the pack contains. | If I want to hand out a set portion with every order, I don’t want to have to divide biscuits from an open pack on the spot. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this serving need. |
| Quantity and stock | Compare the net weight and the stated number of biscuits or portions; use the same pricing measure for comparable products. | For a busy selling period, I want to know how many portions I can prepare without judging by pack size alone. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this stocking need. |
| Allergens and how you sell | Check the label on the exact product and decide how you’ll provide allergen information if you offer biscuits unwrapped. | If I offer loose biscuits, I want customers to be able to find out about any allergens before buying. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this information need. |
| Variety and availability | Choose the types of biscuits you want and check the packaging and availability at the branch where you plan to shop. | If I want to offer more than one type of biscuit, I want to limit the choice to products I can actually buy. Around 13% of consumers place the greatest importance on this choice of range. |
A multipack containing lots of biscuits doesn’t necessarily mean they’re individually wrapped. Lotus Bakeries specifically lists 300 individually wrapped biscuits in its professional Biscoff box.
Compare the number of biscuits or portions and the type of packaging with how you want to hand them out to customers.
If customers are offered unwrapped biscuits, they must be able to get information about any allergens they contain. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out requirements for this that differ from the labelling rules for prepacked products.
Keep the information for the exact product and decide before selling how customers will get the required allergen information for unwrapped biscuits.
A 400 g pack and a multipack of 2 × 400 g contain different quantities. The stated number of portions may also vary.
Compare similar biscuits by net weight and usable portions, as well as by price per kilo at the time of purchase.
ALDI directs customers to its stores for the Biscotto biscuits mentioned, while Lidl lists Sondey Speculoos as available in store. That makes it important to check local availability when planning your stock.
Shortly before buying, check availability, the exact pack and its label at the branch where you plan to shop.
Worth considering if you want to hand out pre-portioned speculoos biscuits.
A brand to compare if you’re looking for a larger quantity of digestive biscuits.
Albert Heijn’s own brand offers packs you can compare by weight and number of portions.
Jumbo’s own-brand 400 g pack of digestive biscuits is another option to compare.
Lidl’s own brand is worth considering if you want to look at different types of biscuits and cookies.
ALDI’s own brand offers packs labelled with either the weight or number of biscuits.
This selection includes biscuits for serving a set number of portions and larger packs to serve from yourself. The syrup waffles are a different kind of treat from biscuits, so choose the packaging that suits your stall.
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If you’re buying a set number of speculoos biscuits, this pack states that it contains 8 pieces and weighs 200 g. Check that the packaging suits how you plan to serve them; the number of pieces alone doesn’t mean that each biscuit is individually wrapped.
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Individually wrapped biscuits can be handy if you’re serving customers one portion at a time. This is a 403 g pack; before buying, check how many biscuits and individual portions it contains, and read the current label if allergens are a concern.
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If you’d rather hand out syrup waffles than biscuits, this pack contains 10 pieces. Check whether they’re individually wrapped if you want to give each customer a sealed portion, and read the current label for allergen information.
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If you want to serve biscuits from a larger pack, this product contains 400 g. It is not the 2 × 400 g multipack; check how many biscuits it contains and how to store the opened pack according to the label.
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If you’re considering a pack of biscuits alongside other types, this variant contains 260 g. Check the number of biscuits and the packaging if you want to plan a set portion for each customer in advance.
Before selling, check what registration your food business needs. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that businesses working with food must register with the NVWA.
Ask the local council where you plan to sell what permission your stall needs. The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce mentions a pitch permit for a winter food-and-drink stall; check the requirements for your location with the relevant council.
Make sure customers can get information about any allergens before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets requirements for this information for unpackaged food, so keep the details for the exact product and make sure customers at your stall can access them.
For prepacked products, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must be shown on the label. Check that the packaging and label stay with the product you hand out.
No. Vegan and allergen information describe different product characteristics. For example, Jumbo lists wheat and soya for Lotus Biscoff XL, so always check the label on the exact variant, even if a biscuit is labelled vegan.
