Who is this choice relevant to?

Party host with a strict Fairtrade requirement

You’re looking for chocolate for a cake, cupcakes or rolls, and want the specific option you choose to be labelled Fairtrade. A retailer’s general sustainability policy isn’t enough.

Party baker who wants flakes

You want flat flakes as a visible topping. Sprinkles are only an option if that different shape also works for your cake or party food.

Organiser of a children’s party treat

You need to take guests’ allergies and dietary requirements into account, along with portion sizes and any rules set by the school or childcare provider. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises asking about allergies and dietary requirements before preparing treats for children.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether you need both Fairtrade certification and flat flakes. Then consider which flavour and pack size will suit your guests and the party venue.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Fairtrade label Check that the specific option you’ve chosen is labelled Fairtrade. Don’t assume this from a Rainforest Alliance label or a retailer’s general policy. If Fairtrade is a must for my birthday, I want to see the certification on the product itself. Around 50% of consumers with this purchasing requirement would put an explicit label first.
Shape and quantity Choose between flat flakes and chocolate sprinkles, and compare the pack size with how much you plan to make. For a visible topping on a cake or cupcakes, I want to know whether sprinkles can do the same job as flakes. For around 30% of these consumers, the product’s shape would be the first thing to consider.
Guests and party venue Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, and check the school or childcare provider’s rules if needed. For a children’s party treat, I want to take allergies, dietary requirements and suitable portion sizes into account. For around 20% of consumers, this would be their main concern when buying.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a general cocoa claim means Fairtrade

    Lidl lists several certification routes for its own-brand cocoa. That alone doesn’t tell you which certification appears on an individual pack of chocolate flakes.

    If Fairtrade is a must, check the label on the specific option you’re buying.

  • Buying sprinkles when you want flakes

    Jumbo lists Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles, while PLUS lists Fairtrade chocolate flakes. Sprinkles have a different shape from the flat flakes you may be looking for as a decoration.

    Before buying, decide whether the shape of sprinkles will work for your cake, cupcakes or rolls.

  • Leaving allergen checks until serving time

    A Fairtrade label says nothing about whether a product is suitable for guests with allergies. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must be shown on the label of prepacked products.

    Ask about allergies and dietary requirements in advance, check the current packaging, and make sure any treats for school or childcare meet local rules.

  • Not considering the rest of the party food

    Flakes can be part of a treat alongside cake or other sweet snacks. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre states that a 15 g portion of milk chocolate flakes contains 10.5 g of sugars.

    Decide how many flakes to use per portion and check the nutritional information for your chosen option.

Brands and retailers to consider

PLUS

PLUS lists dark and milk chocolate flakes with a Fairtrade label, each in a 300 g pack.

  • Both options combine the flake shape with an explicit Fairtrade label.
  • Check the ingredients and allergen information for your chosen option on the current packaging.

Fairtrade Original

Jumbo lists Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles in a 380 g pack.

  • A Fairtrade-labelled alternative for sprinkling, if sprinkles are suitable for your party food.
  • This product is sprinkles, not flakes. Albert Heijn’s page for Fairtrade Original dark chocolate flakes says that this option is no longer in its range.

De Ruijter

Albert Heijn lists several De Ruijter options, including milk, dark and white flakes.

  • A range of flake options gives you a choice of chocolate type.
  • The dark option reviewed is labelled as containing Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa; this is not an explicit Fairtrade label for that option.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn shows several types of flakes in its range overview.

  • You can compare different flake options side by side.
  • The product page for Fairtrade Original dark chocolate flakes says that the product is no longer in the range, so don’t treat the page as a current buying option.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles, as well as other sprinkles and flakes.

  • The Fairtrade sprinkles listed are an option if you don’t need flakes.
  • Don’t assume other flakes are Fairtrade because these sprinkles are labelled as such.

ALDI / Kiekeboe

ALDI lists 300 g packs of Kiekeboe milk or dark chocolate flakes with a Rainforest Alliance label.

  • A flake option to consider if Fairtrade isn’t a requirement.
  • The Rainforest Alliance label listed doesn’t confirm Fairtrade status.

Lidl

Lidl describes a sourcing policy for its own-brand cocoa that uses different types of certification.

  • The policy lists Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance as separate options, among others.
  • Check the label on individual packs of chocolate flakes: the general policy doesn’t assign a Fairtrade certification to any specific option.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are flakes with a Rainforest Alliance label also Fairtrade?

No, that label alone doesn’t confirm Fairtrade status. The De Ruijter dark flakes and Kiekeboe flakes from ALDI reviewed here carry a Rainforest Alliance label. Check the packaging of the specific product if Fairtrade is a must.

Can I use Fairtrade Original sprinkles instead of flakes?

Yes, if chocolate sprinkles are suitable for your cake or party food. Jumbo lists Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles in a 380 g pack, but sprinkles don’t have the flat shape of chocolate flakes.

What should I check for a children’s party or school treat?

Ask about allergies and dietary requirements in advance, read the label on your chosen option, and check local rules with the school or childcare provider. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, prepacked products must display allergen information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking allergies and beliefs into account when preparing treats for children.

How do I work out how many flakes to use per treat?

Decide on a portion size in relation to what else you’re serving, and check the nutritional information for your chosen option. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre states that 15 g of milk chocolate flakes contains 10.5 g of sugars; this figure applies to that portion and isn’t the nutritional value for every option.