Who is this relevant to?

Organisers with a specific Fairtrade requirement

You need to be able to show that the chocolate or cocoa in your chosen product is Fairtrade-certified. A retailer’s general cocoa policy is not the same as a Fairtrade claim on the product itself.

Buyers planning portions for a meeting

You’ll want to know how many you need and whether you can buy them in time. If you choose a chocolate variety, check the certification again too: a product page alone doesn’t tell you whether it’ll be available for your meeting.

Organisers who need to share allergen information

You’ll want to be able to give attendees information from the exact packaging before serving. If serving egg cakes and chocolate separately, check the ingredients and allergen information for both.

What should you look for when buying?

Chocolate egg cakes

Suitable if: the exact variety explicitly states that its chocolate or cocoa is Fairtrade.

Consider: A ready-made product saves you serving two items separately, but cocoa certification doesn’t automatically mean Fairtrade. The Jumbo variety described by Jumbo stated that it contained UTZ Certified Cacao.

Egg cakes and chocolate served separately

Suitable if: you can check the Fairtrade claim on the chocolate itself and want to offer both snacks.

Consider: You’ll buy and serve two products instead of one chocolate egg cake.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Fairtrade chocolate Look for a Fairtrade claim on the current packaging or product page for the exact chocolate egg cake or separate chocolate. Don’t confuse this with a retailer’s general policy. If I need to demonstrate that the snacks for my meeting are Fairtrade, I want to link the claim to the product I’ve chosen. For around 42% of consumers, checking that Fairtrade applies to the product itself is a top priority.
Portions and availability Check the number of items in each pack and the current availability of every product you want to serve. When planning the meeting table, I want to be able to serve enough portions without relying on an outdated product page. Around 33% of consumers say this practical consideration is their highest priority.
Ingredients and allergens Read the allergen information for both exact products and keep the packaging available when serving the snacks. If attendees ask about ingredients, I want to be able to check the label on each snack. For roughly 25% of consumers, this information is their main concern when choosing.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a cocoa policy means an egg cake carries a Fairtrade claim

    Albert Heijn, ALDI and Lidl mention other cocoa certification schemes alongside Fairtrade. Their policies don’t automatically make a specific chocolate egg cake a Fairtrade product.

    Check which certification mark appears on the current packaging or product page for the egg cake you’ve chosen.

  • Using an old product page as your shopping list

    Jumbo states that its Eierkoeken met Chocolade 8 Stuks is no longer part of its online range. So the stated pack size isn’t useful unless you’ve chosen a product that’s currently available.

    Check availability, pack size and certification again shortly before the meeting for the product you’re actually buying.

  • Looking only at the name of the chocolate variety

    The chocolate egg cake described by Jumbo lists egg, wheat, milk and soya, and may contain nuts. If you serve chocolate separately, you’ll need to check a second label too.

    Read the allergen information on the exact packaging and keep it available when serving.

Brands to consider

Jumbo

Jumbo described an eight-piece pack of Eierkoeken met Chocolade, decorated with cocoa.

  • The product page lists ingredients, allergens and UTZ Certified Cacao.
  • Jumbo says this product is no longer part of its online range. The stated cocoa certification doesn’t confirm Fairtrade status.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn says that cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified.

  • Its policy clarifies which certification schemes Albert Heijn cites for its own-brand cocoa.
  • If you have a specific Fairtrade requirement, you’ll still need to check the certification mark on the particular chocolate or chocolate egg cake.

ALDI

ALDI describes Heerlijck Banket free-range egg cakes in packs of twelve and provides separate information about Fairtrade chocolate.

  • These give you a starting point for choosing egg cakes and chocolate as two separate products.
  • The egg cakes mentioned aren’t described as chocolate egg cakes made with Fairtrade cocoa. Check for a Fairtrade claim on the chocolate you choose.

Lidl

Lidl cites Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic certification as schemes for its own-brand cocoa, and says its seasonal chocolate is Fairtrade-certified.

  • Seasonal chocolate sold separately could be an option if the current product carries the Fairtrade mark.
  • The general cocoa policy doesn’t confirm Fairtrade status for a specific chocolate egg cake.

Chocolate to serve separately

This chocolate bar works well served alongside egg cakes; it isn’t an egg cake itself. If you have a specific Fairtrade requirement, check the claim on the current packaging of the bar you buy.

Tony's Chocolonely milk chocolate bar with pecan and caramel, 180 g

Tony's Chocolonely milk chocolate bar with pecan and caramel, 180 g

Serve separately alongside egg cakes. Check the Fairtrade mark on the bar you choose before presenting it as Fairtrade chocolate.

Milk chocolate bar with pecan and caramel, 180 g. As it contains pecan, check the allergen information on the packaging and decide how many portions you’d like to cut from the bar.

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Frequently asked questions

Is UTZ Certified Cacao the same as Fairtrade?

Don’t treat a UTZ claim as a Fairtrade claim. The chocolate egg cake described by Jumbo states that it contains UTZ Certified Cacao. If Fairtrade is a requirement, check whether that specific product explicitly carries the Fairtrade mark.

Does a supermarket’s cocoa policy prove that my egg cake is Fairtrade?

No. Albert Heijn, ALDI and Lidl mention more than one certification scheme for cocoa. So check the current packaging or product page for the specific egg cake, or for the chocolate you’re serving separately.

Which allergens should I check for a work meeting?

Check the allergen information on every exact pack you’re going to serve. The chocolate egg cake described by Jumbo lists egg, wheat, milk and soya, and may contain nuts. Don’t use this list as a substitute for checking the label on another product.

How can I keep allergen information available for unpackaged snacks?

Keep the original packaging for the egg cakes and chocolate so attendees can check the information for both products. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also outlines the allergen information requirements for businesses serving unpackaged food to customers. How these apply to an internal work meeting depends on the circumstances.