If you want to use chocolate flakes made with verifiably Fairtrade cocoa as a cake topping, PLUS’s dark and milk chocolate flakes are two options: PLUS states that both products contain Fairtrade Cocoa. Choose the dark variety if you’re looking for a product labelled vegan and with no milk as an ingredient, but note the warning that it may contain milk and lactose. Choose the milk variety if you want to use milk chocolate. For a different type of topping, you could try Fairtrade chocolate sprinkles, or chop up a Fairtrade chocolate bar if you want larger pieces.
You want to be able to see exactly which product the Fairtrade claim applies to. Milieu Centraal explains that a white Fairtrade logo can indicate a certified ingredient, rather than necessarily applying to the whole product.
You want to sprinkle fine flakes over your bakes and avoid milk as an ingredient. PLUS labels its dark chocolate flakes as vegan, but also states that they may contain milk and lactose.
For cakes or brownies, the shape you need may matter more than the word ‘flakes’. Fairtrade Original recommends its dark chocolate sprinkles for cakes; chopping up a Fairtrade chocolate bar gives you larger, less uniform pieces.
First, check that the chosen product carries a Fairtrade claim. Then decide whether you want fine flakes, chocolate sprinkles or larger pieces of chocolate for your recipe.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for Fairtrade or Fairtrade Cocoa on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen, and check which ingredient the claim applies to. | If Fairtrade cocoa is my main buying requirement, I want to be able to spot the claim on the product itself. For around 40% of consumers, checking this would be the top priority. |
| Shape for your recipe | Choose flakes for a fine topping, chocolate sprinkles if that’s the type of topping you want, or a bar to chop into larger pieces yourself. | If the chocolate needs to sit visibly on top of my bake or be mixed into the batter, I want to choose a shape that works for the job. This would matter most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information. Even if a product is labelled vegan, check for warnings about possible traces of milk. | If I avoid milk as an ingredient or need to take allergens into account, the packaging must suit my needs. Around 20% of consumers would put this first. |
| Dark or milk chocolate | Compare the type of chocolate and the stated minimum cocoa content. If you like, check the sugar per 100 g on the label too. | For my recipe, I mainly want to decide whether to use dark or milk chocolate. Around 10% of consumers would put this choice first. |
ALDI states that its Kiekeboe chocolate flakes are Rainforest Alliance certified. That is not the same as a Fairtrade claim.
If Fairtrade is a buying requirement, look specifically for Fairtrade or Fairtrade Cocoa on the packaging of the flakes you choose.
PLUS’s dark chocolate flakes are labelled vegan, but the product information says they may contain milk and lactose.
If you have an allergy, check the current ingredients and warnings on the packaging before using the product.
These different shapes won’t give your bake the same finish or distribution of chocolate. Fairtrade Original’s recommendation to use its chocolate sprinkles in cakes doesn’t make them chocolate flakes.
Decide whether you want a fine topping, a different type of sprinkle or larger pieces. If you’re adapting a recipe, you could try a small amount first.
A change to the ingredients or allergen information could affect your choice of baking ingredient.
Read the packaging of the product you’re actually buying, especially if you’re choosing it based on a certification, ingredient or allergen warning.
Not every brand mentioned here offers verifiably Fairtrade chocolate flakes: some products are a different type of chocolate or carry a different certification.
PLUS states that its 300 g dark and milk chocolate flakes contain Fairtrade Cocoa.
This brand offers dark chocolate sprinkles, which the manufacturer also recommends for cakes.
Albert Heijn lists De Ruijter flakes in dark, milk and white chocolate varieties, among others.
Jumbo lists its own-brand dark chocolate flakes in a 300 g pack.
ALDI lists Kiekeboe chocolate flakes in 300 g packs, in dark and milk varieties.
Lidl describes its cocoa policy in terms of Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance or organic certification, and mentions Fairtrade in connection with Way To Go chocolate.
Check for a Fairtrade or Fairtrade Cocoa claim on the packaging of the specific variety. PLUS states that its dark and milk chocolate flakes contain Fairtrade Cocoa. According to Milieu Centraal, a white Fairtrade logo can apply to a certified ingredient rather than the whole product.
Yes, if the different shape works for your recipe. Fairtrade Original recommends its dark chocolate sprinkles for cakes, but they won’t give you the same finish as fine flakes. For larger pieces, you could chop up a suitable Fairtrade chocolate bar.
No, you can’t tell from the words ‘dark’ or ‘Fairtrade’. PLUS labels its dark chocolate flakes as vegan, but states that they may contain milk and lactose. If you have an allergy, always check the current packaging.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and seal an opened pack securely. If you’re unsure how long the flakes will keep once opened, check the packaging again.
