When choosing speculoos for a wedding buffet, first check which Fairtrade mark appears on the pack and which ingredients the claim applies to. Individually wrapped biscuits work well for self-service with coffee or tea; for serving on platters, a pack without individual portions may be more convenient, as long as guests can still access the allergen information for the exact product. Before ordering, also check the packaging and delivery arrangements for your buffet in the Netherlands.
If you want to tell guests why you’ve chosen to serve these biscuits, look beyond the word ‘Fairtrade’ in a product description. Fairtrade International distinguishes between marks for products made with multiple ingredients and claims that apply to a specific ingredient. Keep the certification and ingredient information for the product you actually order.
When biscuits are served on an open platter, the information on the original packaging doesn’t automatically stay with them. Before serving, decide how guests will be able to access the allergen information for the product you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) highlights the duty of businesses to provide information when offering food to consumers.
Individually wrapped biscuits can make it easier to serve portions at a coffee or tea station. Oxfam Fair Trade describes Maya Speculoos as an individually wrapped option; check that the version on offer has the same packaging before placing your order.
First, decide which Fairtrade claim you want to be able to substantiate. Then make sure the allergen information and packaging suit the way you plan to serve the biscuits.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Check the mark and the exact claim on the pack or product information for your chosen product. See whether it applies to several ingredients or to one specific ingredient. | If I want to explain to guests what makes these biscuits Fairtrade, I need the claim for the exact product. This is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Allergen information for open displays | Read the current allergen declaration for your chosen product and decide how guests can access this information at the buffet. | If I’m serving biscuits on a platter, I want to be able to answer questions about the allergens they contain without having to look for the original packaging. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Portions and packaging | Check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped and compare the pack size with the number of portions you plan to serve with coffee, tea or dessert. | For self-service, I want to be able to set out portions easily; for a dessert platter, I’d rather have the space to arrange them myself. Ease of use is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
The meaning of a mark can vary on products made with multiple ingredients. Fairtrade International distinguishes, among other things, between a mark for multi-ingredient products and a claim for a specific ingredient. As a result, a broad description on a buffet label may not match what the packaging actually says.
Keep a record of the mark, the wording of the claim and the ingredients list for the product you order. Make sure the description on your buffet label reflects this information.
Once biscuits have been taken out of their packaging and placed on a platter, guests can no longer check the label for themselves. The NVWA states that businesses must inform consumers about the allergens present.
Keep the packaging, a product card or an allergen list available where the biscuits are served, and agree with the serving staff where the information can be found.
A multipack doesn’t necessarily contain boxes of individually wrapped biscuits. The Belgian listing for Vermeiren Princeps describes boxes whose contents are not individually wrapped, while Oxfam Fair Trade describes Maya Speculoos as individually portioned.
Before ordering, check the full product name, pack size, packaging format and allergen information for the version on offer. Also confirm that it can be delivered for your buffet in the Netherlands.
Oxfam Fair Trade describes Maya Speculoos as individually wrapped biscuits to serve with coffee or tea, in a pack containing 200 portions of 5.5 g.
A Belgian listing describes Vermeiren Princeps spelt speculoos as a multipack of twelve 125 g boxes, with the biscuits not individually wrapped.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crunchy, caramelised biscuit. It could be considered as an option for serving with coffee or dessert.
No, the logo doesn’t automatically mean that. Fairtrade International distinguishes between marks for products made with multiple ingredients and the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark, which can apply to a specific ingredient. Before describing the biscuits to guests, check the mark and the claim on the exact pack.
Check the allergen declaration for the product you’re serving, not just the information for a similar biscuit. The product information for the Maya and Vermeiren Princeps versions mentioned here lists gluten and soya; the Maya product information also mentions possible traces of egg, milk and nuts. Keep this information available if you take the biscuits out of their packaging.
Individually wrapped biscuits are a good fit when guests are helping themselves to coffee or tea and you want to set out portions easily. For biscuits served on a platter or used in a dessert, a pack without individual portions may be more practical. In either case, check how guests will access the allergen information for the product being served.
Yes. According to the NVWA, caterers in the Netherlands who offer food to consumers must inform them about the allergens it contains. If you’re serving biscuits on an open platter, agree in advance what information will be available at the buffet and who will answer guests’ questions.
