Who is this choice for?

Buffet buyer with a Fairtrade goal

You want to label chocolate on your buffet menu as Fairtrade, so you check that the claim applies to the product you’ve chosen, not just the brand or retailer.

Hotelier responsible for allergen information

You may serve pastries unwrapped. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says guests must be able to get information about allergens present before eating.

Buffet planner looking for traditional kano pastries

You’re looking for a butter biscuit with almond paste filling for breakfast or with coffee. If you also want to offer Fairtrade chocolate, treat it as a separate option.

What should you look for when buying?

Traditional kano pastries

Choose these: if you want to serve a butter biscuit with almond paste filling.

Limitations: the published ingredients for the PLUS and Jumbo versions don’t list cocoa, so these kano pastries don’t support a Fairtrade chocolate claim.

Separate Fairtrade chocolate

Choose this: if Fairtrade chocolate is the purchasing goal and you can verify the claim on the product you’ve chosen.

Limitations: chocolate doesn’t replace the shape and almond paste filling of a kano pastry. Offer both separately if you want to meet both goals.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Fairtrade claim Check the packaging for an applicable FAIRTRADE mark or a product-specific Fairtrade cocoa statement. If I list Fairtrade chocolate on the buffet menu, I want to know that the claim applies to that specific product. This verifiable claim is the top priority for around 50% of consumers.
Allergens when serving unwrapped food Record the current allergen information for each product and make it accessible to guests before they eat. At a self-service buffet, I want to give guests reliable allergen information even when there’s no packaging. This is the main concern for around 30% of consumers.
The role of the kano pastry Read the product description and ingredients to establish whether you’re choosing a kano pastry with almond paste or a chocolate product. If I’m mainly looking for a traditional kano pastry for the buffet, the pastry itself doesn’t need to be Fairtrade chocolate. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this choice of pastry.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a retailer’s policy applies to every biscuit

    PLUS describes a Fairtrade cocoa policy for own-brand products containing cocoa, while the published ingredients for PLUS Roomboter kano’s don’t list cocoa. That policy doesn’t make these kano pastries Fairtrade chocolate.

    Check the ingredients and Fairtrade claim for the individual product before making a claim on the buffet menu.

  • Serving kano pastries unwrapped without allergen information

    The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says guests must be able to get information about allergens present before eating when food is served unwrapped. The published product information from PLUS and Jumbo lists several allergens; warnings about possible traces may vary between products.

    Keep the current information for each product you choose. Provide it in writing or display a clear notice telling guests they can ask for allergen information.

  • Treating a kano pastry and a chocolate bar as the same buffet item

    The PLUS and Jumbo kano pastries described here are butter biscuits with almond paste filling. A chocolate bar doesn’t automatically serve the same purpose on the buffet.

    Decide whether you want to offer pastries, Fairtrade chocolate or both, and serve your chosen products separately.

Brands to consider

PLUS

PLUS describes a Fairtrade cocoa policy for own-brand products containing cocoa and also sells Roomboter kano’s.

  • According to the PLUS product description, the kano pastries are butter biscuits with 39% almond paste filling and an almond topping.
  • The published ingredients for these kano pastries don’t list cocoa. The cocoa policy therefore isn’t grounds for calling them Fairtrade chocolate.

Jumbo

Jumbo describes its Kano’s met Roomboter as butter biscuits with almond paste filling.

  • The product description states that this version contains 38% almond paste filling.
  • The published ingredients don’t list cocoa, so don’t treat this version as Fairtrade chocolate.

ALDI / Heerlijck Banket

ALDI describes Heerlijck Banket Kano’s, 330 g, as pastries shaped like canoes.

  • This is a kano pastry option to consider if you’re looking for pastries.
  • Before choosing it for the buffet, check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and any product-specific claims.

Lidl / Sondey

Lidl describes Sondey Kano’s, 325 g, as butter biscuits filled with almond paste.

  • The product description makes it a suitable option if you’re looking for a traditional kano pastry.
  • For buffet use, ask to see the current packaging or product specification, particularly for ingredients and allergens.

Verkade

Here, Verkade is a reference for a separate chocolate option, not a Fairtrade kano pastry.

  • Verkade’s 90 g Extra Puur bar lists both 71% cocoa and Fairtrade Cacao.
  • That claim applies to the bar described and says nothing about a kano pastry or other Verkade products.

Chocolate as a separate buffet option

This Joybuy option is a chocolate bar to consider alongside kano pastries if you also want to offer Fairtrade chocolate. Check the current packaging before adding a Fairtrade claim to the buffet menu.

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Pecan Caramel Chocolate Bar, 180 g

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Pecan Caramel Chocolate Bar, 180 g

Consider this bar as a separate chocolate option alongside kano pastries; it isn’t a kano pastry with almond paste filling.

The product name lists milk chocolate, pecan and caramel, in a 180 g pack. Check the current packaging for the Fairtrade claim and allergen information before serving the bar unwrapped.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Can I describe PLUS Roomboter kano’s as Fairtrade chocolate?

No, not based on the published information about these kano pastries. PLUS describes them as butter biscuits with almond paste filling, and the ingredients don’t list cocoa. PLUS’s Fairtrade cocoa policy for own-brand products containing cocoa doesn’t support a chocolate claim for these biscuits.

How do I provide allergen information for unwrapped kano pastries?

Make sure guests can get information about allergens present before eating. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says this can be provided in writing or verbally, as long as there’s a visible notice telling guests they can ask for the information when it’s provided verbally. Use the current allergen information for the kano pastries you’re actually serving.

What does an arrow on a FAIRTRADE mark mean on a composite product?

Check the explanation on the back of the packaging to see which ingredients and sourcing method the claim applies to. Fairtrade International explains that, for products with several ingredients, cocoa, sugar or vanilla may be relevant, for example. Don’t infer a claim for a kano pastry from a mark on another product.