If you want to use Fairtrade cocoa when baking taaitaai or pepernoten, choose a cocoa or chocolate product that is clearly labelled for use as a separate topping or decoration. A Fairtrade label on that ingredient doesn’t automatically make the taaitaai dough or a ready-made biscuit Fairtrade. Check which product or ingredient the label applies to, and read the allergen information.
You’re baking taaitaai or pepernoten and want to use cocoa or chocolate with a clear Fairtrade label as a topping, dip or decoration. Check what the label applies to; it doesn’t automatically tell you anything about the dough.
You want to serve biscuits without baking them yourself. Compare pack sizes and check the ingredients and allergens on the specific product. Don’t infer the Fairtrade status of taaitaai from a shop’s cocoa policy.
You need to be able to check whether the specific biscuit and any chocolate decoration are suitable for your dietary needs. To do this, read the latest ingredients list and allergen information on both packs.
Best for: making your own taaitaai and choosing cocoa or chocolate with a Fairtrade label separately.
Consider: decorating it takes an extra ingredient, and doesn’t automatically make the dough Fairtrade.
Best for: serving taaitaai without making the dough yourself.
Consider: you’re choosing from the ingredients and decoration of the packaged product. Check any Fairtrade label on the pack itself.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| What the Fairtrade label applies to | Check whether the label applies to the cocoa, another individual ingredient or the whole product. For composite products, Fairtrade International distinguishes between a Fairtrade ingredient and the product as a whole. | If I mainly want to use a cocoa ingredient that I can verify is Fairtrade, it needs to be clear what the label applies to. This is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Dough and decoration | Decide whether you’ll make taaitaai without chocolate or add cocoa or chocolate as a separate decoration. The taaitaai recipes from Albert Heijn and Jumbo don’t use it as a base for the dough. | If you’re baking it yourself, you may want to choose the dough and decoration separately, even if that means extra preparation. For around 33% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
| Finding a suitable ready-made product | Check the latest ingredients and allergen information on the pack, and make sure the product you want is available. | If I want to serve taaitaai straight away, I need an available product with a label I can check. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
According to Fairtrade International, a label for a Fairtrade ingredient in a composite product may apply only to that ingredient. The other ingredients don’t necessarily have to be sourced under Fairtrade terms.
Check the exact wording on the product before drawing conclusions about the biscuit as a whole.
The taaitaai recipes from Albert Heijn and Jumbo use flour, honey and spices as their base. Cocoa or chocolate is a separate choice for decorating them.
First decide which biscuits you want to bake, then choose whether to add a cocoa or chocolate decoration.
The listed ingredients in PLUS Ambachtelijke taai taai koeken include wheat and rye. Relevant allergens vary by product and decoration.
Before buying, check the latest allergen information on every pack, including that of any topping.
A product shown online isn’t necessarily available at the time or place you want to buy it.
Check availability with your chosen shop before relying on a specific product.
The shop information below can help you compare ingredients and Fairtrade labels. It doesn’t mean that a shop or its entire taaitaai range is Fairtrade.
Worth considering for separate cocoa or chocolate decorations, and for comparing ready-made taaitaai.
A useful recipe source if you want to bake taaitaai yourself.
Useful for a taaitaai recipe and for checking a specific ready-made product.
Worth considering if you want to compare ready-made taaitaai.
Useful for comparing a ready-made mini taaitaai product.
These products are options if you want to choose cocoa or chocolate separately for homemade taaitaai or pepernoten. A Fairtrade term in a product name doesn’t automatically tell you which ingredients the label applies to, so check the packaging.
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Cocoa powder to consider as a separate ingredient if you’re baking from scratch and want to add a cocoa decoration.
Pack size: 125 g. Check the pack to see what the Fairtrade label applies to, and read the allergen information.
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Dark chocolate to consider as a separate decoration for homemade biscuits.
70% cocoa; 180 g bar. Check the pack for the exact Fairtrade label, ingredients and allergen information.
No. If a label refers to a Fairtrade ingredient in a composite product, the claim applies to that ingredient, not automatically to all the other ingredients. Follow Fairtrade International’s guidance and check the certification scope shown on the specific product.
Choose a cocoa or chocolate product whose packaging clearly states what the Fairtrade label applies to. For example, PLUS says that the cocoa in Fairtrade Original Cocoa Powder is sourced under Fairtrade terms using the mass balance principle. Check the label on each product separately.
Read the latest ingredients list and allergen information for both the taaitaai and any decoration. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be clearly listed on the labels of prepacked foods. Ingredients vary from product to product.
No. A recipe tells you which ingredients to use, but not whether the products you buy are certified. Check the Fairtrade label on the packaging of each ingredient you choose; don’t automatically assume it applies to the taaitaai as a whole.
