Who should consider these points?

Shoppers looking to check Fairtrade status

For you, a current Fairtrade claim is a condition of purchase. You’ll also want to check whether it applies to the whole breakfast cake or just an ingredient such as cocoa.

Anyone making a Sunday stew

You’re considering breakfast cake as a sweet, spiced addition to hachee or beef stew. The flavour, ingredients and quantity will need to work with your recipe.

Shoppers comparing labels

You might compare the sugar, fibre, salt and allergen information on different breakfast cakes. This can help you choose between products, but it doesn’t tell you whether they’re Fairtrade.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, check exactly what any Fairtrade claim covers. Then decide whether the breakfast cake is right for your stew and, if it matters to you, compare the nutritional information and allergens.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Fairtrade claim Check the current packaging or product page to see whether the claim applies to the product or a specific ingredient. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa, so read the explanation accompanying the certification mark too. If Fairtrade is a deciding factor for me, I want to know exactly what the claim applies to. Around 50% of shoppers give this verifiable status top priority.
Using it in a stew Adjust the quantity and sweet, spiced flavour to suit your recipe. Jumbo lists breakfast cake as an ingredient for hachee and beef stew, but that doesn’t mean it automatically works in every braised dish. For a Sunday stew, the most important thing is that the breakfast cake’s flavour works with the sauce. Around 30% of shoppers put this use first.
Nutritional information and allergens Compare sugar, fibre and salt for the same quantity, and read the allergen information for the product you choose. When choosing between varieties, I want to be able to compare their nutritional values and allergens. Around 20% of shoppers put this label information first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a claim about chocolate applies to the whole breakfast cake

    A claim about fair trade chocolate doesn’t automatically mean that all the ingredients in the breakfast cake are Fairtrade. Fairtrade International also allows mass balance for cocoa, which means it may be mixed with other cocoa during processing.

    Check the current packaging to see which ingredient the claim refers to, and read the explanation accompanying the certification mark.

  • Assuming an old product listing means it’s still available

    Albert Heijn lists its AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake with fair trade chocolate as discontinued. That listing doesn’t confirm that you can buy the product now.

    Before buying, check the current product information and availability for the exact variety you want.

  • Assuming organic, wholegrain and Fairtrade mean the same thing

    Organic describes a different product characteristic from wholegrain, or the amount of sugar and fibre. None of these claims, on its own, proves Fairtrade status.

    Check the Fairtrade claim and nutritional information separately on the label.

Brands compared

Peijnenburg

Worth considering if you want to compare wholegrain breakfast cake with other varieties.

  • Peijnenburg states that its sliced wholegrain variety contains 12 slices, is 100% wholegrain and has 5,1 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • If you’re specifically looking for Fairtrade, check the current packaging of your chosen variety for this claim.

Albert Heijn huismerk

Worth considering when comparing different own-brand breakfast cake varieties.

  • Albert Heijn lists a range of breakfast cake varieties, including wholegrain, plain and organic options.
  • The AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake, which was listed as containing fair trade chocolate, is marked as discontinued. The claim also applied to the chocolate, not necessarily to the whole breakfast cake.

Jumbo huismerk

Worth considering if you’re thinking of using breakfast cake in a stew and want to compare varieties.

  • Jumbo lists breakfast cake as an ingredient for hachee and beef stew.
  • Check the Fairtrade claim for the specific product you choose; using it in a stew says nothing about its certification.

Bolletje

Worth considering if you want to compare the ingredients and allergens in a sliced breakfast cake.

  • The 500 g sliced Bolletje breakfast cake listed by Jumbo names rye, wheat and lupin in its allergen information.
  • For the pack you choose, check the current Fairtrade claim and the full allergen information too.

Related Joybuy products

Related products will appear here soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I check whether a breakfast cake carries a Fairtrade claim?

Read the current packaging or product page and check whether the claim applies to the breakfast cake or a particular ingredient. If it refers to cocoa, read the explanation accompanying the certification mark too: Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa.

Does fair trade chocolate make the whole breakfast cake Fairtrade?

No. A claim about the chocolate doesn’t automatically apply to all the ingredients. The earlier listing for the AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake referred to fair trade chocolate; Albert Heijn now lists the product as discontinued.

When does breakfast cake work with a Sunday roast?

Breakfast cake works best in a meal with a stew component where you want to add something sweet and spiced. Jumbo lists hachee and beef stew as uses for it. Adjust the quantity to suit your recipe rather than treating breakfast cake as a standard addition to every braised dish.