Countdown fans who look for Fairtrade cocoa
You want to open a chocolate treat every day in December and are looking for a certification mark or an explicit certification statement on your chosen product.
Who is each treat for?
Shoppers looking for a coffee-time treat
You’re after a filled pastry to serve on its own or share. You don’t need a calendar with daily windows for that.
Shoppers who need to check allergens
You need to be able to check the ingredients in the exact treat you’re buying. For its butter kano pastries, Albert Heijn lists allergens including egg, milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and almonds.
What should you look for when choosing?
Chocolate advent calendar
Choose this: if both a daily treat and verifiably Fairtrade-certified cocoa matter to you. Action states that its calendar reviewed here carries a Fairtrade mark and contains Fairtrade-certified cocoa.
The trade-off: a calendar isn’t a pack of filled pastries to share with your coffee.
Kano pastries
Choose these: if you’re looking for an individual filled pastry to enjoy with coffee or share.
The trade-off: according to their ingredient lists, the AH kano pastries reviewed contain no cocoa, so they aren’t a suitable choice if you’re looking for Fairtrade cocoa.
Chocolate bars
Choose this: if you’re looking for chocolate with a product-specific Fairtrade claim but don’t want to open a calendar window every day.
The trade-off: a single bar doesn’t offer an advent calendar format; check the claim and ingredients of the variant you choose.
When choosing between kano pastries, chocolate bars and an advent calendar, your main priority will determine which product information to check first.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | For a product containing cocoa, check for the Fairtrade mark or an explicit statement that the cocoa is Fairtrade-certified. | If Fairtrade cocoa is the reason I’m buying, I want to be able to find the claim on the chocolate treat I’ve chosen. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this product-specific confirmation. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant, including any warnings about possible traces. | If I need to avoid a particular ingredient, the label comes before the format or certification mark I’d prefer. For around 33% of consumers, this is their first concern. |
| Format and occasion | Compare the number of windows or pastries and the total contents with how you plan to use the treat. | For a daily countdown, I want something different from a plate of pastries to have with coffee. The occasion is the deciding factor for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a kano pastry is a Fairtrade chocolate treat
Albert Heijn lists no cocoa in the ingredients of the AH BASIC and butter kano pastries reviewed here. Choosing these variants for their Fairtrade cocoa therefore doesn’t meet that buying need.
For that, look for a product containing cocoa and check that the Fairtrade claim applies to that exact product.
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Relying on a brand name instead of checking the label
A statement about a brand doesn’t tell you which ingredients and allergens are in the pack you’ve chosen. Verkade, for example, says that the cocoa in its chocolate bars and chocolate letters is Fairtrade. That doesn’t mean any other product is a suitable Advent treat.
Just before buying, check the certification mark, ingredients, allergens and best-before date on the pack you’ve chosen.
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Comparing a calendar with a sharing pack of pastries
The calendar described by Action contains 50 g of chocolate; AH BASIC Kano pastries are sold as a pack of six, weighing 280 g in total. A daily countdown and a coffee-time treat call for different formats.
First decide how you want to give or serve the treat, then compare the number of windows or pieces and the pack size.
Brands and retailers to consider
Action
A retailer to consider if you’re looking for a chocolate advent calendar with an explicit Fairtrade claim.
- For the calendar reviewed here, Action states that it carries a Fairtrade mark, contains Fairtrade-certified cocoa and has a contents weight of 50 g.
- Check the certification mark and allergens on the current packaging; this product information doesn’t automatically apply to other calendars.
Verkade
A brand to consider if chocolate bars also suit the occasion you have in mind.
- Verkade says that all the cocoa in its chocolate bars and chocolate letters is Fairtrade.
- This brand statement says nothing about an advent calendar format or the allergens in an individual pack.
Albert Heijn
A retailer offering kano pastries for anyone looking for a traditional filled pastry rather than a chocolate treat.
- Albert Heijn describes AH BASIC Kano pastries as traditional kano pastries filled with almond paste.
- The AH kano pastries reviewed don’t provide a basis for choosing Fairtrade cocoa. According to Albert Heijn, the butter variant contains allergens including egg, milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and almonds.
Heerlijck Banket
A kano pastry option for a coffee break, sold by ALDI.
- ALDI describes Heerlijck Banket Kano pastries as pastries shaped like canoes and lists the pack size as 330 g.
- If you’re choosing based on Fairtrade cocoa or have an allergy, check the information on the exact pack.
Chocolate treats on Joybuy
This chocolate bar is a good fit if you’re looking for a treat with a Fairtrade claim but don’t want an advent calendar format. If you want a daily countdown, you’ll need to choose a separate calendar.
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Tony's Chocolonely Milk Pecan Caramel chocolate bar, 180 g
For anyone who’d rather have a chocolate bar than a kano pastry or an advent calendar.
Milk chocolate bar with pecan and caramel, 180 g. The product description mentions Fairtrade; check this claim on the current packaging.
Check the allergen information for pecan, milk, soya and wheat, as well as any warnings about egg and peanuts.
Frequently asked questions
Are kano pastries automatically a Fairtrade cocoa choice?
No, you can’t tell from the product category alone. The AH BASIC and AH butter kano pastries reviewed don’t list cocoa in their ingredients; check a different variant against its own packaging.
How can I check an advent calendar for Fairtrade cocoa?
Check whether the exact product carries a Fairtrade mark or explicitly states that it contains Fairtrade-certified cocoa. Action gives both details for its calendar reviewed here; check them on the current packaging of the one you’re buying, too.
Which allergens should I check in kano pastries?
Check the full allergen information for the variant you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn lists allergens including egg, milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and almonds for its butter kano pastries; refer to the current packaging when choosing.
How should I store kano pastries and chocolate treats?
Follow the storage advice for each individual product. Albert Heijn recommends storing AH BASIC Kano pastries in a cool, dark and dry place and putting them in an airtight tin once opened; Action advises storing its calendar reviewed here in a cool, dry place.