If you want to hand out one biscuit at a time with coffee or tea at a Christmas market stall, choose a pack in which each biscuit is individually wrapped. According to Lotus Bakeries, Lotus Biscoff offers a box of 300 individually wrapped biscuits. For a smaller event, portion bags may better suit the number of times you plan to hand them out, but one bag may contain several biscuits. Before selling, check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and best-before information, and follow the safe, hygienic market trading requirements described by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
If you give customers a biscuit with their coffee or tea, or with a small purchase, an individual wrapper makes handing them out straightforward. For this purpose, Lotus Bakeries lists a trade box of 300 individually wrapped Biscoff biscuits.
For a small group, portion bags or small multipacks are worth considering. Albert Heijn lists Smoeltjes with eight individual bags, and Kinder Kinderini with four inner packs, each containing two biscuits. Count the inner packs to work out how many portions you can hand out.
A tart or cereal bar can make a snack in its own right, rather than a small biscuit to go with coffee. Albert Heijn describes Bonne Maman Tartelettes citron as nine individually wrapped tarts; Jumbo says LU Time Out Choco Chip bars are individually wrapped. Choose the product format that suits the occasion.
First decide whether you want to hand out one biscuit per wrapper, a bag containing several biscuits, or a larger snack portion. Then compare the number of sealed portions and the information on the current packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Quick, individual handouts | Check whether each biscuit has its own wrapper and how many individually wrapped biscuits are in the box. | If I’m handing out one biscuit at a time at a busy stall, I want to be able to pick up a sealed wrapper without touching the biscuit itself. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Portions and quantities | Count the inner packs and the biscuits in each one; the weight of the outer pack won’t tell you how many portions you can hand out. | For a small event, I want to bring enough portions without confusing the number of biscuits in each bag with the number of times I can hand them out. Around 29% of consumers prioritise portion planning. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current label for ingredients, allergens and best-before information, and keep the product details handy so you can answer visitors’ questions. | If visitors ask about ingredients or allergens before buying, I want to be able to check the label rather than rely on the product name. Reliable product information is a top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Product format | Consider whether a small biscuit, filled tart or cereal bar suits the occasion, and check how many items are individually wrapped. | If I want to offer an individual snack rather than a biscuit with coffee, the size of the treat matters too. This is the main consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
A sealed bag can contain several biscuits. For example, Albert Heijn lists Kinder Kinderini in four packs, each containing two biscuits. That means four portions to hand out, not eight individually wrapped biscuits.
When preparing your handouts, check both the number of inner bags and the number of biscuits in each one.
A label such as ‘vegan’ doesn’t tell you which allergens are in a particular pack. For the Lotus Speculoos it sells, Albert Heijn lists wheat and soya among the ingredients; don’t assume this information applies to another pack without checking.
Use the allergen information on the current packaging and keep it available at your stall.
A box of individually wrapped biscuits, a multipack of portion bags and a pack of cereal bars all contain different numbers of sealed portions to hand out.
Decide how many portions you want to hand out, then compare packs by the number of usable inner packs they contain.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out requirements for preparing, storing and selling food safely and hygienically at markets and events. The NVWA also refers to registration requirements for food businesses.
Discuss the requirements for your stall with the organiser well in advance, and check which NVWA rules apply to your sales activity.
If you want to hand out one small biscuit at a time, Lotus Bakeries offers a trade box of 300 individually wrapped Biscoff biscuits.
An option if you’d rather hand out portion bags: Albert Heijn describes a pack of Smoeltjes containing eight individual bags.
According to Albert Heijn, Kinder Kinderini comes in four portions, each containing two biscuits.
For individually wrapped tarts, Albert Heijn lists a pack of Bonne Maman Tartelettes citron containing nine pieces.
If you want to offer visitors a cereal bar to take away, Jumbo describes LU Time Out Choco Chip bars as individually wrapped.
These products offer a few options for handing out individual portions, from biscuits with coffee or tea to a larger cereal bar. Check each pack to see how many sealed portions you can actually hand out and whether the label is suitable for your stall.
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For a portion of biscuits with coffee or tea. Check how many sealed inner packs the product contains and how many biscuits you want to give each visitor.
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For a small snack portion. Check how many biscuits are in each sealed inner pack before working out how many portions you can hand out.
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For anyone wanting to offer a cereal bar as an individual snack instead of a small biscuit with coffee. Match the number of portions to your planned handouts.
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For handing out a chocolate biscuit with coffee or tea. Check how many biscuits are in the pack before buying for a larger number of visitors.
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For handing out portions at a smaller event. If you want to give each visitor one biscuit, check how many biscuits are in each inner bag.
No, a portion bag can contain several biscuits. For example, Albert Heijn lists Kinder Kinderini in four inner packs, each containing two biscuits. So if you want to give each visitor one biscuit, check how many are in each bag.
Check the label on the current packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on labels for pre-packed foods. Check the information again whenever you buy a different variety or pack.
No, ‘vegan’ is no substitute for an allergen declaration. For the Lotus Speculoos it sells, Albert Heijn lists wheat and soya among the ingredients; check the label of the exact variety you plan to sell.
Store and sell food safely and hygienically, as described by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority for markets and events. If you operate a food business, also check which registration requirements apply to your activity and discuss the stall requirements with the organiser.
