Who is this choice relevant to?

Festival shopper who prioritises Fairtrade cocoa

Looking for a sweet treat with a verifiable cocoa claim, and happy to choose a different biscuit if that claim isn’t shown on the packaging of a canoe cake.

Organiser planning to hand out biscuits

Wants to know which allergens are listed for each product and how to keep that information available when biscuits are offered without their original packaging.

Fan of classic butter canoe cakes

Prefers a canoe cake filled with almond paste and compares the packaging, portions and ingredients of the variety they choose for the festival.

What should you look for when buying?

First decide whether a verifiable Fairtrade cocoa claim or a traditional canoe cake matters most. Then consider how you can offer your chosen biscuits with the right product information.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Fairtrade cocoa Check whether the current packaging carries a Fairtrade claim for the cocoa or the specific product. A certification for a different ingredient doesn’t answer that question. If cocoa is why I’m choosing a product, I want to be able to find the claim on the biscuit I’m going to offer. This is the top priority for around 39% of consumers.
Allergens when handing out biscuits Read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statement for the variety you’ve chosen. When offering unpackaged food, make sure customers can get allergen information before buying, as required by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. If I’m handing out loose biscuits, I need to be able to tell visitors which allergens the product contains. Around 38% of consumers say this information comes first.
Classic canoe cakes and portions Check the pack size, number of portions and storage advice on the current packaging. If what I mainly want to share is a butter canoe cake filled with almond paste, its size and how it should be stored matter too. This choice comes first for around 23% of consumers.

Common mistakes when handing out biscuits at festivals

  • Mistaking RSPO for a Fairtrade cocoa claim

    PLUS lists RSPO certification for the palm oil in its butter canoe cake. That certification doesn’t support a claim about Fairtrade cocoa.

    Check the packaging to see whether a Fairtrade statement actually applies to the cocoa or to the product you’ve chosen.

  • Offering canoe cakes loose without allergen information

    The canoe cakes reviewed list several allergens. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, customers must be able to get information about any allergens present in unpackaged foods before buying.

    Keep the current product information and, when handing out loose biscuits, make sure written information is accessible or that you use an oral information process that meets the requirements.

    Handing out loose biscuits also takes time, as you’ll need to keep information available at the point of sale and for staff.

  • Relying on an old product page as a guarantee of availability

    The Albert Heijn and Jumbo pages consulted say that the canoe cakes in question are no longer in their ranges. This doesn’t tell you whether other varieties are available.

    Check shortly before the festival which pack and variety you can actually buy, then read its ingredients and best-before date.

Brands to consider

Verkade

An alternative for anyone who values Fairtrade cocoa more than the traditional canoe cake shape.

  • Fairtrade Netherlands reported in 2022 that all the cocoa in Verkade biscuits is Fairtrade.
  • This statement doesn’t confirm that a biscuit you choose is a canoe cake or that its other ingredients are Fairtrade. Check the variety and current packaging.

Albert Heijn

An example of a classic butter canoe cake filled with almond paste.

  • Albert Heijn describes a 270 g pack with six portions and a 40% almond paste filling.
  • The product page in question doesn’t show a Fairtrade cocoa claim and marks this variety as discontinued.

Jumbo

A useful reference if you want to compare the size of mini canoe cakes.

  • According to Jumbo, the mini canoe cakes described have a 45% almond paste filling.
  • Jumbo lists egg, milk, wheat, gluten and soya, among other ingredients, and warns that the product may contain nuts. The mini variety in question is no longer in its online range.

PLUS

A classic butter canoe cake to compare for its packaging, filling and allergens.

  • PLUS lists a 275 g pack with a 39% almond paste filling.
  • The RSPO statement for palm oil isn’t a Fairtrade cocoa claim. The ingredient information lists wheat, egg, soya, milk and almonds, among other ingredients.

Joybuy products for this topic

Related products will appear here soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are the butter canoe cakes reviewed Fairtrade certified?

That isn’t clear from the Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS product pages consulted: none shows a Fairtrade cocoa claim for these canoe cakes. If you need that claim, check the current packaging of the variety you’re buying rather than assuming it has Fairtrade status.

Which biscuit could I consider if Fairtrade cocoa is my priority?

A cocoa biscuit from Verkade is a well-supported alternative to the canoe cakes reviewed: Fairtrade Netherlands reported in 2022 that all the cocoa in Verkade biscuits is Fairtrade. That doesn’t automatically make it a canoe cake, so check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose too.

Do I have to provide allergen information if I sell biscuits loose?

Yes. In the Netherlands, customers must be able to get information about allergens present in unpackaged foods before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that this can be done with written information or, subject to certain conditions, verbally, with written or electronic information available to staff and inspectors.

Which allergens are listed on the canoe cake packs reviewed?

The varieties reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list wheat or gluten, egg, milk and soya, among other ingredients. Almonds are listed for the Albert Heijn and PLUS varieties described. Jumbo also warns that its mini canoe cakes may contain nuts. Always check the information on the specific pack before handing them out.