Mini canoe pastries with a stated pack size are handy if you want to plan small portions in advance: ALDI supermarkets lists HEERLIJCK BANKET Mini Canoes as 14 pieces per 308 g, but also marks them as ‘while stocks last’. If you’re comparing regular canoe pastries that you portion yourself with other mini pastries, check the actual portion sizes and the current label. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also sets hygiene and allergen information requirements for selling items individually. Jumbo no longer lists its Butter Mini Canoes 220 g in its online range, so don’t base your purchasing plans on that product page.
If you want to hand out small treats without cutting them on the spot, a pack with a stated number of pieces can help you plan. ALDI supermarkets lists 14 pieces for its mini canoe pastries and marks the listing as ‘while stocks last’, so check availability before settling on quantities.
If you take the pastries out of the packaging to sell them individually, make sure customers can get information about any allergens present. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also highlights the need to work safely and hygienically when selling at markets and events.
Keep the current label for the product you’ve bought to hand. Jumbo’s product information lists wheat, egg, milk and soya among the allergens in its Butter Mini Canoes, and states that the product may contain nuts. Don’t assume the same ingredients apply to other mini canoe pastries.
First decide whether you’ll offer the pastries in sealed packaging or individually. Then compare the number of pieces and the pack weight of mini pastries with the portions you could cut yourself from regular canoe pastries or other mini pastries.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Selling individually and allergens | Decide how you’ll offer the pastries. If selling them individually, keep the current label and allergen information available at your stall. | If I offer the pastries individually, I want to be able to tell visitors about any allergens present before they buy, and handle the pastries hygienically. For around 42% of consumers, this preparation is the top priority when selling individually. |
| Portions and serving | Compare the number of pieces and the total pack weight; the total weight doesn’t tell you how much each individual piece weighs. | Before serving, I want to know how many small pieces I can prepare without cutting them on the spot. Being able to plan individual portions is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Availability when buying | Check stock at the store, the best-before date and the packaging before planning how many you need. | I want to know whether I can actually get the packs I need before arranging my stall. Availability is the most important purchasing consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Jumbo still shows information about its Butter Mini Canoes 220 g, but states that the product is no longer in its online range. So, seeing a product page doesn’t mean you can order the product online.
Check availability at the relevant store and confirm the best-before date before settling on quantities for your stall.
The word ‘mini’ doesn’t tell you which allergens a product contains or how each piece is wrapped. Jumbo lists several allergens for its Butter Mini Canoes and says they may contain nuts.
Read the label on the product you’re actually buying. If you’re offering the pastries individually, keep the relevant allergen information available for customers.
Customers must be able to get information about allergens in unpackaged foods. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also says that food sold at markets and events must be stored and sold safely and hygienically.
Keep the product information at your stall, and arrange clean storage, good hand hygiene and protection for displayed pastries to prevent contamination.
ALDI supermarkets lists HEERLIJCK BANKET Mini Canoes in a pack of 14 pieces, weighing 308 g.
Jumbo lists Butter Mini Canoes 220 g with a 45% almond paste filling.
Selling them individually means providing customers with information about any allergens present and working safely and hygienically. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out these requirements for unpackaged foods and food sales at markets and events. You should also check the rules for the Christmas market in question.
Customers must be able to get information about allergens present in unpackaged foods. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority refers to the designated group of 14 allergens; for cereals containing gluten and nuts, the specific type also matters. Check the label of the product you’ve bought: Jumbo lists wheat, egg, milk and soya for its Butter Mini Canoes, and says they may contain nuts.
The permission you need depends on the location and how the market is organised. Ondernemersplein explains that a municipal market permit is needed for a pitch at a municipal market. For the Christmas market you’re planning to attend, ask the local council and the organiser which rules apply.
