Who is this relevant for?

Hotel buyers with a Fairtrade requirement

For regular buffet orders, you want to be able to establish exactly what the Fairtrade claim covers on the biscuit you’ve ordered. Individually wrapped biscuits may be a good fit if guests serve themselves.

Buffet teams responsible for allergen information

You decide whether biscuits stay in their wrappers or are served loose on a platter. When they’re served unwrapped, it’s particularly important to make clear how guests can find out about any allergens they contain.

Hotels looking to offer more choice

You may be considering different flavours or a plant-based biscuit alongside your existing selection. Check the certification claim and allergens for each variant separately: vegan doesn’t mean gluten-free or nut-free.

What should you look for?

First, establish whether your purchasing requirement is for a Fairtrade biscuit or specifically for Fairtrade cocoa. Then check the allergen information and packaging against the way the hotel actually serves the biscuits.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Scope of the Fairtrade claim Check the packaging to see whether the claim applies to the biscuit or an ingredient. Milieu Centraal notes that a Fairtrade logo on a white background may apply only to a certified ingredient. If I mention Fairtrade on the buffet, I want to know whether the claim applies to the biscuit or just the cocoa. For around 31% of consumers, the scope of the certification matters most.
Allergen information Check the information for the variant delivered and decide how guests can access it when the biscuits are served unwrapped. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says guests must be informed about any allergens present. If the biscuits are served unwrapped, I want to be able to answer questions about allergens, even if the wrapper is no longer beside the platter. Around 31% of consumers give allergen management the highest priority.
Portions and serving Compare the number of biscuits in each pack with the quantity needed for the buffet, and check whether each biscuit is individually wrapped. During breakfast service, I want to be able to put out biscuits in individual portions and top them up. Practical serving is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers.
Flavours and plant-based options Check each variant in a mixed pack separately. Treat a vegan label as separate from information about cereals containing gluten and possible nuts. For returning guests, I want to be able to offer different flavours or a plant-based option without presenting them as allergen-free. For around 13% of consumers, variety of choice is the main consideration.

Common mistakes

  • Calling a biscuit Fairtrade because it contains Fairtrade cocoa

    A claim about an ingredient doesn’t automatically cover the whole biscuit. Milieu Centraal highlights this distinction, including for the Fairtrade logo on a white background.

    For every variant you order, record exactly what the packaging claims and don’t use a broader description on the buffet.

  • Confusing vegan with allergen-free

    A plant-based label doesn’t in itself tell you whether a product contains gluten or nuts. Hoppe’s vegan Oaties oat biscuit mix lists cereals containing gluten and may contain nuts.

    Check whether each current variant is vegan, gluten-free and nut-free as separate properties.

  • Removing wrappers without arranging information for guests

    When biscuits are served loose on a platter, guests may no longer have access to the label. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires allergen information to be available for unpackaged foods.

    Keep up-to-date information readily available and make it clear at the buffet how guests can access it.

  • Assuming a supermarket listing is suitable for regular buffet orders

    A biscuit that works for a one-off purchase is only suitable for a regular buffet selection if the variant and delivery arrangements also meet your needs.

    Check the current product specifications and whether regular deliveries are available before adding the product name to your buffet materials.

Brands to consider

Hoppe

Foodservice products for anyone looking to serve individually wrapped Fairtrade biscuits at the buffet.

  • Hoppe describes its Fair Biscuit Mix as Fairtrade and foodservice, with individual wrapping and 150 biscuits per box. According to Hoppe, its Cookie Mix offers four individually wrapped flavours.
  • Check the ingredients and allergens for each mix delivered. According to Hoppe, its vegan Oaties oat biscuit mix contains cereals with gluten and may contain nuts.

Verkade

Worth investigating if your purchasing requirement is specifically for Fairtrade cocoa in chocolate on or in biscuits.

  • Verkade says that the cocoa in the chocolate on and in its biscuits is Fairtrade-certified.
  • This cocoa claim doesn’t prove that every Verkade biscuit or the whole product is Fairtrade-certified; check the packaging of your chosen variant.

Albert Heijn

A retail option for hotels buying biscuits outside a foodservice range.

  • Albert Heijn says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified.
  • That policy doesn’t tell you which of the two certifications applies to a specific biscuit. Check the product packaging before making a Fairtrade claim.

Lotus Biscoff

Useful for distinguishing between certifications, but not a verified Fairtrade option for a biscuit buffet.

  • Lotus Bakeries states that cocoa ingredients in certain product ranges are Rainforest Alliance-certified.
  • This information doesn’t support a Fairtrade claim for Lotus Biscoff biscuits. If Fairtrade is a purchasing requirement, check the exact packaging.

Related Joybuy products

More related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does a hotel have to provide allergen information for unwrapped biscuits?

Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, guests must be able to access information about the 14 specified allergens in unpackaged foods. Make sure the information for the biscuits you’re serving is up to date and readily available.

Does the Fairtrade logo mean the whole biscuit is certified?

Not always. Milieu Centraal explains that a Fairtrade logo on a white background may apply only to a certified ingredient. Read the information on the packaging before presenting the whole biscuit as Fairtrade.

Is a vegan Fairtrade biscuit also suitable for someone with a gluten or nut allergy?

Not automatically. Hoppe describes its Oaties oat biscuit mix as vegan and Fairtrade, but also lists cereals containing gluten and says it may contain nuts. Always use the information for the variant delivered when checking allergens.

Can I describe Lotus Biscoff as a Fairtrade biscuit?

Not on the basis of certification information about other product ranges. Lotus Bakeries refers to Rainforest Alliance certification for cocoa ingredients in certain products; this doesn’t support a Fairtrade claim for Lotus Biscoff biscuits. Check the packaging of the biscuit you plan to serve.

When is a supermarket biscuit with Fairtrade chocolate suitable for a regular breakfast buffet?

When the claim on the packaging of your chosen product meets your purchasing requirement, and the portions, allergen information and regular deliveries suit the way you serve biscuits at the buffet. Fairtrade chocolate alone doesn’t mean the whole biscuit is Fairtrade-certified.