Hotel buyers looking to support a Fairtrade claim
They want to be able to link a claim to the chocolate or cocoa they choose. They can therefore treat the breakfast cake and any chocolate component as separate purchasing decisions.
Who are these choices relevant to?
Buffet teams responsible for allergen information
They need information for every option on offer, so guests can check it before choosing and staff can find it if asked.
Hotels focused on portions and self-service
They want a format that is easy to serve. Individually wrapped slices could work, provided the presentation and amount of packaging waste fit the buffet’s policy.
What should you consider when buying?
First, distinguish between breakfast cake without chocolate, breakfast cake with chocolate and a separate chocolate topping. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must be able to obtain information about allergens in non-prepacked food before buying or ordering it. Keep this in mind when setting up your buffet.
Breakfast cake without chocolate
When to choose it: Choose this option if you want a familiar breakfast cake to be the mainstay of the buffet and a chocolate claim is not a priority.
Trade-off: Individually wrapped portions can make serving easier, but they also mean more packaging.
Breakfast cake with Fairtrade chocolate
When to choose it: Consider this only if the current packaging or product specification of an available option carries an appropriate claim for the chocolate.
Trade-off: A claim for one option does not automatically apply to other breakfast cakes from the same supplier.
Breakfast cake with a separate chocolate component
When to choose it: Choose this setup if guests should be able to add a separately offered chocolate or cocoa product to their breakfast cake.
Trade-off: The topping needs its own product check, place on the buffet and allergen information. A claim for the topping does not make the breakfast cake itself Fairtrade.
| Point to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Check the claim for the exact cocoa or chocolate component. Also read any explanation about mass balance. | If you want to mention Fairtrade on the buffet, make sure the wording matches the product you have chosen. For around 25% of consumers, being able to verify the claim comes first. |
| Allergen information | Check the current ingredients and allergen information for each option, and decide how guests can access it before choosing. | If guests serve themselves breakfast cake, I want to be able to answer their questions without guessing what it contains. For around 31% of consumers, this is their first concern. |
| Portions and serving | Compare sliced, unsliced and individually wrapped options in terms of portion size and how they are served. | For a self-service buffet, I want to be able to lay out portions easily, while also taking packaging waste into account. Around 25% of consumers give this their highest priority. |
| Choosing the right option | Check the current packaging for the variety, ingredients and allergens; confirm that the product you have chosen is available before ordering. | If you want to offer several types of breakfast cake, you need to be able to describe each one separately. For around 19% of consumers, this choice of products matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Applying a retailer’s claim to every breakfast cake
Albert Heijn describes the cocoa in its own-brand products as Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified; PLUS says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Fairtrade-certified. This does not establish which claim applies to a particular breakfast cake option.
Base the wording on the buffet on the current packaging or product specification for the breakfast cake or separate topping you have chosen.
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Ordering a previously listed chocolate option without checking availability
Albert Heijn states that its organic breakfast cake with fair trade chocolate has been discontinued. This means it is not a suitable option for a new order.
Check which options are actually available to order just before buying, then read the packaging of the product delivered.
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Only providing allergen information when someone asks
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for non-prepacked food must be available before purchase or ordering. If information is given verbally, guests must be clearly told that they can ask for it; the supporting information must also be available in writing or electronically.
Put the information by the buffet or provide a clear sign directing guests to staff. Keep product information up to date whenever you change options.
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Assuming every breakfast cake contains iodised baker’s salt
A general assumption about baker’s salt does not tell you which salt was used in the breakfast cake you have chosen.
Check the ingredients list for the exact option before mentioning anything about it to guests.
Relevant brands and suppliers
These brands and suppliers illustrate different options for breakfast cake and separate cocoa or chocolate products. Always check claims for each product: a brand or range description is not a claim that applies to every option.
Peijnenburg
A breakfast cake brand with options including a plain pack of ten individually wrapped 28 g slices.
- The individually portioned pack gives you a specific format to assess for a self-service buffet.
- For this option, Peijnenburg lists rye flour and the possible presence of milk, hazelnuts, almonds and other cereals containing gluten. Do not treat the plain option as a Fairtrade chocolate product.
Albert Heijn
A supplier to consider when looking at breakfast cake and chocolate as separate product choices.
- Albert Heijn says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified.
- Albert Heijn lists its organic breakfast cake with fair trade chocolate as discontinued. Its own-brand policy also does not automatically support a Fairtrade claim for every breakfast cake.
Jumbo
Lists breakfast cake options alongside a separate Fairtrade category that includes cocoa and chocolate sprinkles.
- These separate products can be considered as possible additions to breakfast cake.
- A Fairtrade category containing cocoa or chocolate sprinkles does not automatically make a breakfast cake option Fairtrade. Check both products separately.
PLUS
Lists Peijnenburg breakfast cake and separately provides information about Fairtrade cocoa in its own-brand products.
- The breakfast cake category offers specific options whose packaging and serving format you can compare.
- PLUS’s statement about its own-brand cocoa does not mean that the Peijnenburg breakfast cake shown is Fairtrade.
ALDI
Lists breakfast cake products as well as a separate FAIR range.
- The breakfast cake options give you the opportunity to compare details such as the cut and packaging for each product.
- The existence of a separate Fairtrade range is not a Fairtrade claim for the breakfast cake. Check the label of the option you have chosen.
Breakfast cake option on Joybuy
This option is worth considering as a breakfast cake for the buffet. Compare the packaging you receive with your requirements for portions, ingredients and allergens; do not use it as evidence for a Fairtrade chocolate claim.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g
For a buffet where you want to offer a breakfast cake option. The product name states 250 g; check the packaging of the product delivered for portion sizes, ingredients and allergens before preparing the buffet information.
Frequently asked questions
Does a hotel have to provide allergen information for unwrapped breakfast cake?
Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, guests must be able to obtain information about allergens before buying or ordering. This can be provided in writing, or verbally if guests are clearly told they can ask for it and the supporting information is available in writing or electronically.
Is Fairtrade chocolate needed for a breakfast cake buffet?
No, chocolate does not have to be part of the breakfast cake selection. If you do want to offer a Fairtrade chocolate option, check the claim for the exact breakfast cake option or for the separate chocolate component. Do not apply that claim to other buffet products.
What does mass balance mean in a Fairtrade claim?
A mass balance statement does not necessarily mean that every ingredient used has been kept physically separate from non-certified ingredients. For one of its chocolate bars, Albert Heijn explains that certain ingredients may be mixed during production, while the volume of Fairtrade ingredients purchased matches the stated volume. For your buffet information, use the exact claim on the packaging you have chosen.
How can you stop a discontinued option from remaining in your buffet plan?
Check availability shortly before ordering, then compare the packaging of the product delivered with the product specification your plan is based on. Albert Heijn lists its organic breakfast cake with fair trade chocolate as discontinued, so do not use it as a specific purchasing option.