Who is this choice relevant to?

A colleague with coeliac disease

They need a snack explicitly labelled gluten-free that won’t come into contact with crumbs or shared utensils when served. The regular kano pastries described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain wheat or gluten.

An office buyer looking for a kano-style treat

They’d prefer to offer filled sweet pastries rather than biscuits with coffee or at a meeting. Albert Heijn lists a gluten-free gevulde koek in its range; the packaging remains the deciding factor when choosing a specific product.

Someone managing a shared snack cupboard

They want to keep gluten-free options clearly separate from regular biscuits. Keep the packaging with the product so colleagues can check the label and allergen information.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking that the product is labelled gluten-free and can be served without contact with crumbs. Then choose between a gevulde koek for a kano-style treat and other gluten-free biscuits for a varied selection.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free labelling and serving Read the current packaging and keep the snack separate from regular biscuits and shared utensils with crumbs on them. If a colleague has coeliac disease, I want to be able to identify which product is gluten-free and prevent it coming into contact with crumbs when serving. This certainty comes first for around 50% of consumers.
A kano-style treat Look for a gevulde koek explicitly labelled gluten-free, and check for any other allergens relevant to the recipient. For a coffee break, I’d rather offer filled pastry than a biscuit, without assuming that its shape or flavour is the same as a kano pastry. Around 30% of consumers give this type of treat top priority.
Stock and variety Choose clearly labelled gluten-free types of biscuit and keep the packaging with each product. I want to be able to offer something on different occasions at the office without mixing up gluten-free and regular biscuits. This convenient way to stock up comes first for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing a regular kano pastry because it has an almond filling

    The filling doesn’t make the pastry gluten-free. Albert Heijn lists wheat flour and wheat gluten in AH BASIC Kano’s; Jumbo lists wheat flour, gluten and wheat in its kano pastries made with butter.

    If someone has coeliac disease, don’t choose either of these regular kano pastries. Check that an alternative is labelled gluten-free.

  • Putting gluten-free biscuits on a plate with regular biscuits

    The Dutch Coeliac Society says that gluten can transfer to a gluten-free product through contact with other food. At the office, crumbs on a plate or serving tongs are therefore something to watch out for.

    Keep the packaging sealed until serving, or use a clean, separate plate and serving tongs.

  • Relying on an old product name or range page

    A product listing you viewed previously is no substitute for the information on the packaging of the biscuits you’re actually serving.

    Every time you buy, check the current gluten-free labelling, ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.

  • Assuming all oat biscuits are gluten-free

    An oat biscuit isn’t a suitable gluten-free choice just because it contains oats; check the labelling on the specific product.

    Choose an oat biscuit explicitly labelled gluten-free and check for any other relevant allergens too.

Brands to consider

AH Glutenvrij

This Albert Heijn range includes a gluten-free gevulde koek and other types of biscuit. The gevulde koek is particularly relevant if you’re looking for filled pastry to serve with coffee.

  • Albert Heijn explicitly includes the gevulde koek in its gluten-free range.
  • The range name doesn’t mean that other AH biscuits are gluten-free; check the packaging of the product you choose.

Schär

Jumbo lists several gluten-free Schär biscuits, including Madeleines, Butterkeks and Digestive. They offer a variety of options for an office snack cupboard.

  • The products listed include both soft biscuits and crisp biscuits.
  • These types of biscuit aren’t confirmed substitutes for a filled kano pastry.

Verkade

Albert Heijn lists gluten-free Verkade Oaties in plain and milk chocolate varieties. These are oat biscuits for anyone who isn’t specifically looking for filled pastry.

  • The varieties listed are each labelled gluten-free.
  • Don’t assume other Verkade biscuits are gluten-free; always check the product you choose.

Related products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are regular kano pastries gluten-free?

The regular AH BASIC and Jumbo kano pastries checked aren’t gluten-free options. Albert Heijn lists wheat flour and wheat gluten in AH BASIC Kano’s; Jumbo lists wheat flour, gluten and wheat in its kano pastries made with butter.

Which gluten-free product is most similar to a kano pastry?

A gluten-free gevulde koek is closer to a kano pastry as a filled pastry than a biscuit or oat biscuit. Albert Heijn lists one in its gluten-free range, but that doesn’t mean its shape, recipe or flavour is the same as a kano pastry; check the packaging of the product you choose.

Do I need to watch out for crumbs when serving?

Yes. Even a packaged gluten-free snack can come into contact with gluten when served. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the risk of cross-contamination, so use a clean, separate plate or serving tongs and don’t put the snack among regular kano pastries.

Are oat biscuits automatically a gluten-free option for the office?

No. Don’t choose an oat biscuit as a gluten-free snack based on the oats alone. Check that the specific product is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and read the other allergen information on the packaging.