Choose a Dutch sponge cake to go with your coffee based on its size, texture and ingredients, and check any Fairtrade claim on the exact product. If you’d like to serve Fairtrade chocolate, you can pair a sponge cake with a separate chocolate bar that carries the certification mark and accompanying claim. That claim doesn’t automatically apply to the sponge cake; another cocoa certification or a general sourcing policy doesn’t change that.
For this coffee break, what matters is what’s stated on the packaging of the chocolate you choose. Fairtrade International links the Fairtrade certification mark to a corresponding packaging claim; a general brand promise is no substitute for that product information.
A ready-to-serve Dutch sponge cake may be your priority. Check the pack size, the cake’s size and the texture you prefer, and make sure your chosen option is available to order before buying.
You’ll need to check two separate packs: one for the sponge cake and one for any chocolate you serve with it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the allergen information on labels, so check the exact products you plan to serve.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Look for the Fairtrade certification mark and accompanying claim on the exact chocolate product. Don’t mistake a different cocoa certification for Fairtrade. | If I want to serve Fairtrade cocoa with my sponge cake, I want to be able to check the claim on the chocolate itself. This is the primary consideration for around 42% of consumers. |
| Convenience and texture | Compare the sponge cakes’ size, quantity and texture, and check that they’re currently available to order. | For a quick coffee break, I want to serve a sponge cake in a format that suits the group. Convenience is the priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergen information for both the sponge cake you choose and any chocolate. | If I need to consider an allergy or intolerance, information on both exact products comes before the serving choice. This is the primary consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn, Lidl and ALDI each describe policies or ranges relating to certified cocoa. A general statement like this doesn’t mean that the Dutch sponge cake you choose contains Fairtrade cocoa.
Check the certification mark and claim on the packaging of the specific product for which Fairtrade matters.
Jumbo’s Eierkoeken met Chocolade were labelled UTZ Certified Cacao. This is not a Fairtrade claim.
Check the exact wording on the product before making a Fairtrade choice.
Jumbo says that this chocolate sponge cake is no longer part of its online range. So, seeing a product page doesn’t necessarily mean you can order the item.
Check availability before planning your coffee break around a particular variety.
Ingredients vary between varieties. Bolletje lists egg, cereals containing gluten, milk, wheat and soya among the allergens in its Brosse Eierkoek.
If you have an allergy or intolerance, check the current packaging for both the sponge cake you choose and the chocolate you serve with it.
Brosse Eierkoek is an option if you’re after a crisp texture to enjoy with your coffee.
Worth considering if you’d like to serve chocolate separately with a Dutch sponge cake.
A retailer where you can browse Dutch sponge cakes and choose a separate chocolate to go with them.
The Dutch sponge cake range offers different varieties to compare for your coffee break.
A retailer where you can check the details of separate chocolate to enjoy with a Dutch sponge cake.
A place to look for chocolate that you can serve separately with a Dutch sponge cake.
This chocolate bar is a separate choice if you’d like to serve Fairtrade chocolate with a Dutch sponge cake. Choose and check the sponge cake separately.
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Serve this chocolate bar alongside a separately chosen Dutch sponge cake if you’d like Fairtrade chocolate with your coffee. The product description identifies it as Fairtrade milk chocolate; check the claim on the packaging. The bar weighs 180 g and, according to the product name, contains pecan and caramel. If you have allergies, check the labels on both products.
Look for the Fairtrade certification mark and accompanying claim on the packaging of the exact chocolate product. Fairtrade International requires the certification mark to be accompanied by a packaging claim; use this to check the chocolate, not automatically the sponge cake alongside it.
No. A UTZ label isn’t, by itself, a Fairtrade claim. Jumbo labelled its Eierkoeken met Chocolade as containing UTZ Certified Cacao; if you want a Fairtrade option, look for that specific claim on the exact product.
Check the allergen information on the packaging of the variety you choose. Bolletje lists egg, cereals containing gluten, milk, wheat and soya among the allergens in its Brosse Eierkoek; the ingredients may differ in other sponge cakes or chocolate.
Not always: check the current availability of the exact variety. For example, Jumbo still has a page for its Eierkoeken met Chocolade, but says that the product is no longer part of its online range.
