Don’t choose a canoe cake as a Fairtrade chocolate snack unless the current packaging carries a Fairtrade statement that applies to that product: the ingredient lists for the Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS canoe cakes reviewed here contain no cocoa or chocolate. If Fairtrade cocoa is your main priority, consider a different chocolate snack too. Check the allergens for every option, and decide whether you’re looking for a treat or an everyday snack.
You want to be able to tell whether a Fairtrade statement applies to the cocoa in a snack for the school holidays. A brand name alone doesn’t tell you that. The online ingredient lists for the Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS canoe cakes reviewed here don’t mention cocoa or chocolate.
You’re buying for children with different allergies, so you need to check the ingredients and any warnings about traces for each variety. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS shows that the allergens listed vary between canoe cakes.
You’re looking for a cake for a special occasion, as well as other snacks for the holiday period. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as good snacks between meals.
When choosing a packaged canoe cake or another snack for the school holidays, you may want to prioritise one of three things: proof of Fairtrade status, allergen information or a suitable occasion for a treat. Start with what matters most to you, then check the packaging of the product you’ve chosen.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Check whether the current packaging carries a Fairtrade mark or an explicit statement about Fairtrade cocoa, and which ingredient the statement applies to. | If I’m looking specifically for a Fairtrade statement about the cocoa, I want to be able to find it on the snack I buy. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this product-specific proof. |
| Allergens | Check the ingredients, allergens and any relevant warnings about traces on the packaging of the exact variety. | When buying a treat for children with food allergies, I need to know what each child can eat. For around 36% of consumers, checking allergens comes before other considerations. |
| Treat or snack | Compare the portion information and decide whether the cake is for a special treat or whether you’re looking for an everyday snack. | I might consider a canoe cake for a one-off holiday treat, while also wanting to offer other snacks on ordinary days. Around 28% of consumers prioritise this consideration. |
PLUS mentions RSPO for its butter canoe cakes; this is not a Fairtrade statement about cocoa. Verkade says that the cocoa in its chocolate bars and letters is Fairtrade, but that statement doesn’t automatically apply to canoe cakes or other biscuits.
Check the current packaging of the snack you’re buying and see whether the Fairtrade statement applies to the whole product or to a named ingredient.
Recipes and allergen information vary by variety. For example, Jumbo’s ingredient list for its canoe cakes includes almonds and eggs, while the list shown for AH BASIC Kano's gives different ingredients and allergens.
If you switch brand or variety, check the packaging again, even if the cake looks similar.
Portion information varies: Albert Heijn lists a 45 g portion for AH Roomboter kano's, while Jumbo lists a 55 g portion for its butter canoe cakes. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as good snacks between meals for children aged 4 to 12.
Decide in advance how many children will be eating and whether you’re offering a cake as a treat or looking for something for an everyday snack break.
Albert Heijn provides product information for AH BASIC Kano's and AH Roomboter kano's.
Jumbo describes Kano's met Roomboter as cakes with almond paste filling, in a 275 g pack.
PLUS offers 275 g Roomboter kano's with almond paste filling and an almond decoration.
Lidl describes Sondey Kano's, 325 g, as butter cakes filled with almond paste.
Aldi describes Heerlijck Banket Kano's, 330 g, as pastry cakes shaped like canoes.
Verkade is worth considering if you’re thinking about a chocolate snack instead of a canoe cake.
If a Fairtrade statement on a chocolate snack matters more to you than the canoe shape, you could consider a chocolate bar. Check the current packaging to see what the Fairtrade statement applies to and which allergens are listed.
No image available
A chocolate bar for anyone looking for a different kind of treat from a canoe cake. The bar weighs 90 g. If they’re important to your choice, check the current packaging for the Fairtrade statement and information about milk, soya and possible traces.
No. The ingredient lists shown for the Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS canoe cakes reviewed here don’t mention cocoa or chocolate. If Fairtrade cocoa is the reason you’re buying a snack, check the current packaging to make sure the claim applies to the product you’ve chosen.
According to Fairtrade International, a Fairtrade statement may apply to the product or to named ingredients. So look beyond the mark on the front of the pack and check which ingredients the statement covers.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for every variety you choose, including any relevant warnings about traces. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS lists ingredients including wheat, soya, milk, egg and almonds for different canoe cakes; the ingredients aren’t the same for every variety.
For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as good snacks between meals. You could save a canoe cake for a special treat and offer something else for everyday snack breaks, bearing in mind the children who’ll be eating.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn recommends storing its canoe cakes in a sealed tin after opening; Jumbo advises keeping its variety in a cool, dry, dark place.
