Hotelier with a self-service buffet
Wants guests to be able to help themselves to a clearly defined portion. It’s not just the size of the biscuit that matters, but also how many biscuits come in each pack.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Buffet manager responsible for allergen information
Needs to be able to tell guests which allergens are present in unpackaged biscuits. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) says that food providers must inform customers about 14 allergens.
Buyer for breakfast and coffee breaks
Compares biscuits to serve with coffee or tea with other small treats, and checks the portion, packaging and ingredients for each product.
What should you consider when choosing?
Individually wrapped biscuit
Choose this when: guests need to be able to help themselves to one biscuit as a portion.
Bear in mind: individual wrapping doesn’t tell you which allergens are present; check the latest information for each product.
Loose mini biscuits
Choose this when: a loose presentation suits your buffet and you can manage it as part of your food safety procedures.
Bear in mind: make sure guests can access the correct allergen information for the unpackaged biscuits.
Pack containing several biscuits
Choose this when: you want a clearly defined portion, but don’t need to offer one biscuit per guest.
Bear in mind: a pack containing two or more biscuits is a different portion for guests than a single individually wrapped biscuit.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Guest portions and self-service | Check the number of biscuits per bag or pack, and the stated weight per portion. | When guests help themselves, I want to know in advance whether one pack is the intended portion for each guest. Around 36% of consumers would put this portion check first. |
| Allergens and buffet procedures | Check the latest allergen information for each product and how guests can access it when food is served unpackaged. The NVWA requires information about 14 allergens. | When serving loose biscuits, I want to link the right information directly to the product on offer. This would be the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Product type and flavour | Check whether it’s a biscuit, speculoos biscuit or wafer, and how many are in each portion. | For coffee or breakfast, I want to choose a product that suits my range, without treating different types of biscuit as the same option. An estimated 21% of consumers would weigh this up first. |
| Repeat orders | Compare the pack size and check the product specification again when reordering. | When I order for the buffet regularly, I want to keep checking the portions and product information with each delivery. Around 14% of consumers would give this the highest priority. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming ‘mini’ means ‘individually wrapped’
A small biscuit may be served loose or packed together with other biscuits. That difference affects how many a guest takes at a time.
Check the number of biscuits in the consumer pack and the weight per portion for the exact product.
-
Serving loose biscuits without clear allergen information
The NVWA says guests must be able to access information about any allergens present in unpackaged food.
Make sure the latest information is linked to the correct buffet dish or dispenser, and decide how guests can ask for it.
-
Relying on an old ingredients list when reordering
Albert Heijn points out that product ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
Check the latest packaging or supplier information again before using it for your buffet information.
-
Treating a wafer as the same portion as a biscuit
A chocolate wafer, a small speculoos biscuit and a pack containing several biscuits differ in both product type and portion packaging.
First decide what role the product will play on the buffet, then compare the portion and ingredients for each product.
Brands to consider
Lotus Biscoff
An option for an individually wrapped speculoos biscuit to serve with coffee or tea. Albert Heijn describes a pack of 300 individually wrapped Lotus Speculoos biscuits.
- The pack described offers a portion of one biscuit.
- Check the latest ingredients and allergen information for this product; Albert Heijn warns that product information can change.
Kanjers
A chocolate and caramel wafer as an alternative to a plain biscuit. Kanjers says Kleine Kanjers are individually wrapped in a bag of 12.
- The manufacturer describes individually wrapped wafers.
- Check the latest ingredients and allergens against your buffet information before serving this wafer.
Verkade
An option when two biscuits together make a suitable portion for each guest. Verkade describes Trouwe Vriendjes as vanilla biscuits packed two to a pack.
- The pack contains a defined portion of two biscuits.
- This isn’t a one-biscuit portion; check the latest allergen information too.
Products for different portions
These Joybuy products show different pack sizes for a small treat on the buffet. The wafers are alternatives to biscuits, not the same type of product; focus on how many biscuits or wafers each guest pack contains.
No image available
Hellema Smoeltjes Speculaas Cookies, 8 pcs, 200 g
Consider these speculoos biscuits if you’d like to offer a small biscuit on the buffet. Check how many biscuits a guest takes from the pack; ‘8 pcs’ doesn’t confirm that each biscuit is individually wrapped.
The product name states that the pack weighs 200 g. Check the latest allergen information before serving.
No image available
NABATI Butter Caramel Flavor Wafer, 12 x 27 g
This caramel wafer is a good fit for a buffet that includes wafers as a sweet option; it isn’t a plain biscuit.
The product name states that the pack contains 12 portions of 27 g. Check the latest ingredients and allergens for your buffet information.
No image available
Fruit Biscuit Coconut Snaps, 5 x 3 stuks
Choose this pack size only if three coconut biscuits together suit the portion you want to offer each guest, rather than one biscuit per guest.
The product name states that there are five packs of three biscuits, 15 in total. Check the latest packaging for allergen information.
No image available
Smoeltjes Ghost Biscuits, 7 stuks x 2
Consider these biscuits if a bag containing several biscuits suits your buffet. They aren’t individually wrapped for each guest.
The product name states that there are two packs of seven. Check the latest packaging for the contents per bag and allergen information.
No image available
Meito Pukupukutai Chocolate Wafer, 16,5 g per verpakking
Consider this chocolate wafer if you’d like to offer a different kind of small treat alongside biscuits.
The product name states that each pack weighs 16,5 g. Check that the packaging is suitable for self-service and use the latest allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Does a hotel have to provide allergen information for loose mini biscuits?
Yes. The NVWA says food providers must inform customers about 14 allergens in unpackaged food. Make sure guests can access information about the biscuits on the buffet, and keep it up to date for each product.
Does a hotel have to follow HACCP procedures for its breakfast buffet?
Yes. The NVWA says that businesses handling food must use a food safety plan or hygiene code based on HACCP. Include the way you present loose biscuits in these procedures.
Is every mini biscuit individually wrapped?
No. ‘Mini’ describes the size, not the number of biscuits in a pack. Albert Heijn describes Lotus Speculoos in a pack of 300 individually wrapped biscuits; Verkade, by contrast, describes Trouwe Vriendjes as biscuits packed two to a pack.
Can I keep using the same allergen information when I reorder?
Check it again. Albert Heijn points out that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change. So compare the latest packaging or supplier information with the information you use on the buffet.