Who are these options for?

Organisers of a shared coffee break

You want to put biscuits out on a plate and plan in advance how many portions are in the pack. The product pages for Albert Heijn and Jumbo each list around 18 portions for their 300 g packs of digestives.

Organisers who want to hand out biscuits

At a meeting or training session, you may want to give attendees a small, pre-portioned pack rather than pass around one opened pack. Lotus Biscoff lists its dark chocolate speculoos as seven packs of three biscuits, while Verkade offers Duo’tjes in a smaller pack.

Shoppers comparing chocolate intensity

You’re looking for a pronounced dark chocolate flavour and want to know what the packaging says about it. The percentage of chocolate in a biscuit is not the same as the percentage of cocoa solids. So check which percentage is listed and what it refers to.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether the biscuits will be served on a shared plate or handed out individually. Then check the chocolate information, along with the ingredients and allergen details for the product you’ve chosen.

What to consider What to check before buying Who is this most important for?
Dark chocolate flavour Look for an explicitly stated cocoa percentage and check whether it refers to the chocolate or the whole biscuit; don’t confuse it with the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit. If the biscuits need to have a distinctly dark chocolate flavour, I want to be able to assess the chocolate information before ordering. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this flavour.
Portions for the group Compare the stated number of portions with the net weight of the pack you’re considering. For a shared break, I want to be able to plan whether there will be enough biscuits for everyone. Around 29% of consumers prioritise quantity.
Handing biscuits out individually Check whether the pack contains smaller packs and how many biscuits are in each one. If attendees arrive at different times, I want to be able to hand out biscuits easily without leaving a plate out. This is the main concern for around 21% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the label for the exact variety, including any warnings about possible traces. If an attendee needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the biscuits before serving them. This check comes first for around 14% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘dark’ means a set cocoa percentage

    Albert Heijn lists AH Digestive Puur as containing 30% dark chocolate in the biscuit; Jumbo lists Chocolade Biscuits Puur as containing 63% chocolate. Neither figure on its own tells you the percentage of cocoa solids.

    If a particular cocoa content matters to you, look for a separate figure on the packaging and check what it refers to.

  • Putting out a plate without checking allergens

    The varieties described from Albert Heijn, Lotus Biscoff and Jumbo contain ingredients including wheat, milk and soya. Some varieties also carry warnings about possible traces of other allergens.

    Ask in advance which allergens are relevant to attendees. Keep the packaging by the plate so the information for the variety being served remains available.

  • Choosing a large pack for several serving times

    A pack of digestives works well for a shared table, but once opened you’ll need to think about how to store any leftover biscuits. Jumbo advises sealing its opened Digestive Pure Chocolade well and using the rest within a few days.

    Consider smaller multipacks if you’ll be handing out biscuits at different times or in different places.

  • Mistaking an assorted box for an all-dark-chocolate selection

    According to ALDI, its Biscotto chocolate biscuit box contains biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate.

    Check the flavours on the packaging if all the biscuits you serve need to be dark chocolate.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

AH Digestive Puur is an option for a shared plate.

  • Albert Heijn lists a 300 g pack with 18 portions and 30% dark chocolate.
  • The variety described contains ingredients including wheat, milk and soya; check the label if attendees need to avoid allergens.

Verkade

Verkade offers Digestive Puur for sharing and Duo’tjes in a smaller pack.

  • Albert Heijn’s listing gives Verkade Digestive Puur as 400 g with 24 portions.
  • The smaller Duo’tjes pack doesn’t indicate a high cocoa content. Check the listed allergens and possible traces for this variety too.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff’s dark chocolate speculoos has a different biscuit base from a digestive.

  • Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists a pack containing seven smaller packs of three biscuits.
  • The variety described contains wheat, milk and soya. And a chocolate percentage is not the same as a cocoa percentage.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists both a digestive with dark chocolate and a smaller biscuit with a thick layer of chocolate.

  • According to Jumbo, its 300 g pack of digestives contains around 18 portions; Chocolade Biscuits Puur contains nine biscuits and lists 63% chocolate.
  • That chocolate percentage is not a stated cocoa percentage. Check the allergen information for both varieties.

Biscotto (ALDI)

ALDI’s Biscotto box is an assortment of chocolate biscuits.

  • ALDI lists 20 biscuits, packed in pairs.
  • The box contains dark, white and milk chocolate, so it isn’t suitable if you’re looking for dark chocolate only.

Dark chocolate digestives at Joybuy

For a shared coffee break, this section features a pack of dark chocolate digestives. Check the number of portions on the packaging before deciding how much you’ll need for the group.

McVitie's Digestives with dark chocolate, 266 g

McVitie's Digestives with dark chocolate, 266 g

For a shared break when you want to serve dark chocolate digestives from one pack.

266 g pack. Before choosing, check the number of portions, any stated cocoa percentage and the allergens on the current label.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How do I work out how many biscuits I need for a meeting?

Start with the number of portions on the pack and compare it with the number of attendees. Albert Heijn lists 18 portions per 300 g for AH Digestive Puur; Jumbo gives around 18 portions per 300 g for its Digestive Pure Chocolade. Check the portion information on the pack you actually choose.

Does ‘dark’ mean chocolate biscuits contain no milk?

No. The Lotus Biscoff dark chocolate speculoos and Jumbo Chocolade Biscuits Puur described here contain milk. Before serving, read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety.

How can I identify a stated cocoa content?

Look for an explicitly stated percentage of cocoa solids and check whether it refers to the chocolate or the whole biscuit. A statement that a biscuit contains 30% or 63% chocolate doesn’t mean the same thing as a cocoa percentage.

What should I check if a caterer is supplying loose biscuits?

Before ordering, ask the caterer which allergens are in the biscuits they’re offering and how you can keep that information available when serving them. For pre-packed products, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority advises checking the allergen information on the label.