Caterers with a self-service buffet
If guests help themselves to biscuits at different locations or times, inner packs or twin portions can make it easier to keep track of distribution than one opened pack.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Organisers responsible for allergen information
For a mixed group, the information needs to match the biscuits you choose and remain available to guests, even if the outer packaging is removed when serving. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority discusses catering in its guidance on allergen information for non-prepacked products.
Buyers planning portions
For several coffee breaks, the number of biscuits or stated portions is a more useful starting point than weight alone. Then compare the pack sizes and costs on a like-for-like basis.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide how many biscuits you want to be able to serve and how you plan to present them. Then check the allergen information and the number of biscuits or portions on the pack for each option you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and self-service | Count the inner packs and check how many biscuits each one contains. | If you want to distribute biscuits across tables or breaks without repeatedly opening a large pack, portion packaging is an important consideration. Around 25% of consumers put ease of serving first. |
| Allergen information | Read the label for the exact product variant and keep the information available if you serve the biscuits unpackaged. | If guests need to avoid different allergens, you’ll want to be able to clearly say what each biscuit contains. For around 31% of consumers, this is their main concern. |
| Enough biscuits | Compare the planned number of guests and coffee breaks with the stated number of biscuits or portions per pack. | If you’re catering for several breaks, you’ll want to work out whether you have enough biscuits. Having enough portions is the main priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Flavour and variety | Choose clearly labelled varieties and check the ingredients for each one separately. | If you want to offer guests a choice of biscuits and types of chocolate, you’ll also need to keep the information for each variety separate. Around 13% of consumers say that this choice of flavours is their top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming the weight tells you how many portions are in the pack
A heavier pack doesn’t automatically have a more useful format for a buffet. For example, ALDI Netherlands lists 20 Biscotto Chocolate Biscuits in a 250 g pack, and six packs of six Biscotto Mini Biscuits in a 225 g pack.
First work out how many biscuits you need per guest and break. Then compare the number of biscuits, inner packs and total weight.
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Relying on the allergen list for a different variety
Ingredients vary between products and can change. For example, Verkade lists milk, wheat, hazelnut and soya in Choco Wolken, while the information for another Verkade biscuit needs to be checked separately.
Read the current label on the pack you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for non-prepacked products, including catering, must be provided to consumers in another way.
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Opening all the packs at once
For Jumbo Chocolade Biscuits Puur, the product instructions say to close the pack securely after opening and use the remaining biscuits within a few days.
Open biscuits for each serving occasion and follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’re actually using.
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Using an old product page as a reliable way to source your order
Albert Heijn marks its page for Chocolade biscuit, 125 g, as ‘Discontinued’. A planned number of packs is only useful if the product you’ve chosen is actually available.
Check availability before placing your order. If you choose a replacement product, compare the number of biscuits and allergen information again.
Brands to consider
These examples show how packaging and product differences can matter at a conference. Information about one variety doesn’t automatically apply to other biscuits from the same brand.
Verkade
Choco Wolken is an example of a smaller pack with a different composition from a simple chocolate biscuit.
- Verkade lists Choco Wolken as 3 × 35 g, with biscuit, cream filling and milk chocolate.
- According to Verkade, this variety contains milk, wheat, hazelnut and soya, and may contain peanuts, almonds and egg. Check the label for the variety you choose.
Lotus
Worth considering if you’re looking at a chocolate and speculoos variety or a multipack.
- Jumbo Supermarkten lists Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolade in a 3p × 6 format.
- Check how many biscuits you can serve from the pack you choose. Lotus Bakeries’ ingredient information for Biscoff Chocolade lists wheat, soya and milk, among other ingredients.
Albert Heijn
A supermarket example where it’s important to check current availability before ordering for catering.
- The product page for Chocolade biscuit lists a pack size of 125 g.
- Albert Heijn marks this item as ‘Discontinued’ and advises customers to check the packaging for the latest ingredient and allergen information.
Jumbo
An example where the stated number of biscuits and portions can be used directly in your planning.
- Jumbo Supermarkten lists 9 biscuits and 9 portions per 125 g for Chocolade Biscuits Puur.
- According to the product information, this variety contains gluten, milk, soya and wheat, and may contain nuts. Reseal an opened pack securely as instructed.
Lidl / Sondey
Sondey Choco biscuits melk is a supermarket own-brand variety you can compare by pack size.
- Lidl Netherlands lists this variety as 125 g and available in store.
- For a catering order, read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging for this specific variety.
ALDI / Biscotto
Two Biscotto pack formats make the difference between twin portions and multiple inner packs clear.
- ALDI Netherlands lists Chocoladekoekjes as 20 biscuits in 250 g, packed in pairs, and Mini Biscuits as six packs of six biscuits in 225 g.
- Check the current allergen label for both varieties before serving them to guests.
Chocolate biscuits on Joybuy
These biscuits suit different ways of serving at a conference: a variety with twin portions, a pack of six units and an oat biscuit with milk chocolate. For all three, check how many biscuits you can actually serve per guest.
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Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g
The twin portions described may work well for self-service. Before ordering, count how many you’ll need for all your guests and breaks.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the current allergen label before serving and keep the information available if you serve the biscuits unpackaged.
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ETi Tutku Turkish Chocolate Cookie, 162 g × 6
Six units can help you spread your stock across breaks. Check how many biscuits each unit contains before working out portions per guest.
Pack format: 162 g × 6. Don’t assume the biscuits are individually wrapped unless you’ve checked the product you’ve chosen. Read the current allergen label too.
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Verkade Gv Oaties Milk Chocolate, 150 g
An oat biscuit with milk chocolate offers a different option alongside other biscuits. Check the number of biscuits on the pack before working out how many to order for catering.
Pack size: 150 g. Assess any suitability for a particular diet using only the current label and the needs of the guest in question; the product description also warns about sensitivity to oat protein.
Frequently asked questions
How many packs of chocolate biscuits do I need for a conference?
Work out how many biscuits you want to offer per guest at each coffee break, then compare that figure with the number of biscuits or portions in each pack. For example, ALDI Netherlands lists 20 biscuits for Biscotto Chocoladekoekjes and six packs of six biscuits for Biscotto Mini Biscuits; Jumbo Supermarkten lists 9 portions for Chocolade Biscuits Puur.
Is a family pack automatically a good choice for a large group?
No. The name doesn’t tell you how many individual portions you can serve. Compare the number of biscuits, any inner packs and how you plan to distribute them across tables or breaks.
What should I do with allergen information if I remove the biscuits from their packaging?
Keep the information for the exact variety available to guests where you serve the biscuits. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that for non-prepacked products, including catering, allergen information must be provided to consumers in a different way from the label on a prepacked product.
Can I open biscuits in advance and serve them again later?
Follow the storage and use instructions for the pack you’ve chosen. For Chocolade Biscuits Puur, Jumbo Supermarkten advises closing the pack securely after opening and using the remaining biscuits within a few days.
Are chocolate biscuits automatically gluten-free or vegan?
No. Check the current label for the exact variety. For Chocolade Biscuits Puur, Jumbo Supermarkten lists wheat, milk and soya, among other ingredients; for Choco Wolken, Verkade lists milk, wheat, hazelnut and soya, among other ingredients.