Who is this choice relevant to?

If Fairtrade cocoa is a must-have

You want to see the relevant certification mark or a Fairtrade cocoa statement on the product packaging itself. A general claim from a brand or supermarket isn’t enough.

If you buy kano biscuits for your weekly shop

You’re looking for almond paste-filled biscuits to share, and want to know how many are in the pack, how many portions it contains and whether you can pick it up during your shop.

If you compare ingredients or nutritional information

You want to check the allergens, portion size or nutritional value of the variant you’ve chosen. Always read the label on the exact pack you’re buying, even if you’ve checked online beforehand.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’re mainly looking for a traditional kano biscuit with almond paste or whether verifiable Fairtrade cocoa is essential. A chocolate product with the relevant certification may meet your second requirement, but it isn’t a kano biscuit.

Traditional kano biscuit with almond paste

Choose this: if the kano biscuit itself is what you’re after and Fairtrade chocolate isn’t a requirement.

Bear in mind: the ingredient lists for the AH BASIC, Jumbo and g’woon variants reviewed here don’t mention cocoa or chocolate.

Product containing Fairtrade cocoa

Choose this: if you mainly want to be able to check the Fairtrade status of the cocoa in the product you’re buying.

Bear in mind: a separate chocolate product won’t have the almond paste filling of a traditional kano biscuit.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Verifiable Fairtrade cocoa Check the certification mark, ingredients and information on the exact pack. Fairtrade Nederland says that information about the logo with an arrow can be found on the back. If Fairtrade cocoa is my priority, I want to see it stated on the product itself. Around 40% of consumers in this purchasing decision say this is their main requirement.
Pack size and availability Compare the pack size, number of portions and shelf life, and check where the variant you’ve chosen is available. For a shared coffee break, I want to be able to pick up enough kano biscuits during my weekly shop. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration.
Allergens and nutritional information Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens, any precautionary allergen warning and the nutritional information per 100 g or per portion. If I need to watch out for an ingredient or compare portions, the label determines which variant I choose. This is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a brand claim applies to every kano biscuit

    PLUS’s claims about cocoa in its own-brand products and Verkade’s claims about its chocolate bars and letters don’t mean that any given kano biscuit contains Fairtrade cocoa.

    Check the ingredients and Fairtrade statement on the specific kano biscuit’s packaging. If there’s no relevant statement, don’t describe it as a Fairtrade chocolate product.

  • Assuming the allergens are the same as in another variant

    Recipes can vary between kano biscuits. Jumbo Kano’s met Roomboter product information lists, among other things, almonds, egg, milk, soya and wheat. You can’t assume the same list applies to another kano biscuit.

    Check the highlighted allergens and any precautionary allergen warning on the pack you’re actually using.

  • Looking only at the pack size

    A larger pack doesn’t in itself tell you how many portions it contains, how long it will keep or whether it’s Fairtrade. Lidl lists Sondey Kano’s as a 325 g pack sold in store.

    When doing your weekly shop, compare pack size, portions and shelf life, and check the Fairtrade certification separately.

  • Taking Fairtrade status as a nutritional claim

    A Fairtrade statement relates to the relevant ingredients and purchasing terms, not to the amount of sugar or fat in a portion.

    Use the product’s nutritional information to compare these, and check whether the values are given per 100 g or per portion.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

AH BASIC Kano’s were traditional kano biscuits with almond paste. The relevant Albert Heijn product page says this variant has been discontinued.

  • The product page provides ingredients, allergen and nutritional information to help you assess the variant.
  • The listed ingredients don’t include cocoa or chocolate, and the old page doesn’t provide evidence of a current Fairtrade kano biscuit.

Jumbo

Jumbo Kano’s met Roomboter are described as biscuits with almond paste, in a 275 g pack.

  • Jumbo provides information about portions, ingredients, allergens and nutritional value for this variant.
  • The ingredient list doesn’t mention cocoa or chocolate, so there’s no basis for choosing this kano biscuit as a Fairtrade chocolate product.

Sondey / Lidl

Lidl describes its 325 g Sondey Kano’s as butter biscuits with almond paste and says they’re sold in store.

  • The stated pack weight can help you plan your weekly shop.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and any Fairtrade statement on the pack in store.

PLUS

PLUS says the cocoa in its own-brand products has been Fairtrade certified since 2020, including in biscuits containing cocoa.

  • This claim is relevant if you’re considering an own-brand product containing cocoa.
  • If a specific kano biscuit’s ingredients don’t include cocoa, this policy says nothing about Fairtrade chocolate in that biscuit.

Verkade

Verkade says that all the cocoa in its chocolate bars and letters is Fairtrade.

  • This claim gives you a clearly defined product range to look at if Fairtrade cocoa is your priority.
  • The claim doesn’t automatically apply to kano biscuits or other Verkade products.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I identify Fairtrade cocoa on a pack?

Check the certification mark and information on the exact pack. Fairtrade Nederland says that, when there’s a logo with an arrow, the back of the pack explains which ingredients are covered by the Fairtrade statement and how they were sourced. So don’t rely on the front alone.

Are ordinary kano biscuits made with Fairtrade chocolate?

That isn’t supported by the product information for the AH BASIC, Jumbo and g’woon kano biscuits reviewed here: their listed ingredients don’t include cocoa or chocolate. If you’re looking at a different or updated variant, check the current packaging again before drawing conclusions about Fairtrade cocoa.

Which allergens should I check in kano biscuits?

Read the highlighted allergens and any precautionary allergen warning on the exact pack. For its butter kano biscuits, Jumbo lists, among other things, almonds, egg, milk, soya and wheat. The list may differ for another variant.

Is online product information enough for my weekly shop?

Use online information to compare variants before you shop, but check the label and current availability when you buy. For example, the Albert Heijn page for AH BASIC Kano’s says that this variant has been discontinued.

How should I store kano biscuits after buying them?

Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the pack. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo product information reviewed here recommends storing them in a cool, dry, dark place. For its variant, Albert Heijn also recommends keeping them in a sealed tin after opening.