Choose multigrain bread explicitly labelled as wholemeal if wholemeal status is a requirement for your core range: ‘multigrain’ alone is not enough. A floor-baked or sourdough loaf can offer a different presentation, while bake-off bread is only suitable if preparing and replenishing it during breakfast service is manageable. For any bread served unwrapped, make sure the allergen information is up to date; a gluten-free option should be a separate product clearly labelled as such.
Wants an attractive bread basket, but also needs to consider how much work slicing and replenishing whole loaves will involve. Albert Heijn and ALDI, for example, offer multigrain bread in different serving formats.
Needs to establish whether a multigrain loaf is genuinely wholemeal before adding it to the core range. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the label ‘multigrain’ alone says nothing about whether a loaf is wholemeal.
Must make information about allergens present available when bread is served unwrapped. A separate gluten-free option also requires the product specification to be checked and procedures to be in place to prevent mix-ups.
First decide what role the bread will play at breakfast: a staple, an eye-catching addition or bread that is baked during service. Then check the ingredients, serving format and allergen information for each product you choose.
| Point to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Compare whole and sliced loaves, and consider who will slice a whole loaf during service. | For an eye-catching bread basket, I want a loaf that looks good on display without requiring too much slicing; around 31% of consumers prioritise presentation. |
| Wholemeal status | Check that the chosen bread is labelled ‘wholemeal’ and review the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g. | If wholemeal bread is to be the basis of my range, I want to be able to tell from the product labelling. For around 38% of consumers, that assurance comes first. |
| Replenishment | Compare bread that is ready to serve with the preparation time and oven space needed for bake-off bread. | When business levels vary, I want to be able to replenish bread at times that work for the team; around 23% of consumers prioritise practicality. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Check the current allergen information for each loaf and assess any gluten-free option separately. | I want to be able to give guests clear information before they eat and ensure a gluten-free option is not confused with regular bread. This is the main purchasing priority for around 8% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain. That does not tell you whether the whole grain has been used to make the bread.
If wholemeal status matters for your core range, make it a separate purchasing requirement and check the labelling and ingredients of the bread you choose.
For unwrapped bread on a Dutch hotel buffet, guests must be able to obtain information about allergens present before eating, according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Keep the information for each bread on offer up to date and accessible at the buffet. The NVWA’s conditions apply to providing information verbally.
Baker’s salt contains iodine, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use it. The type of bread or an artisan appearance does not confirm which salt has been used.
To make a product-specific claim, check the ingredients list or ask the supplier which salt was used.
Bake-off bread takes time and oven space when the buffet needs replenishing. PLUS states that its wholemeal multigrain baguettes take 8–10 minutes to bake.
Plan the preparation of your chosen product around the equipment, staff and replenishment times available. If baking during service is not practical, choose bread that is ready to serve.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Liefde & Passie sliced multigrain bread and AH Vloerbrood whole multigrain loaf.
Jumbo lists products including Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen and Schotel Meergranen Volkoren.
ALDI describes its Luxe vloerbrood meergranen as pre-sliced bread with grains and seeds.
PLUS lists products including Korenlanders multigrain bread and wholemeal multigrain baguettes for baking at home.
Dirk lists multigrain breads from Bakker van der Akker and a separate gluten-free multigrain product from Schär.
These rolls are suitable for a buffet that wants to serve multigrain bread in individual portions. Assess them separately from the choice of a whole floor-baked loaf, an explicitly labelled wholemeal staple or a bake-off option.
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The pack of four multigrain rolls is suitable for a buffet that wants to serve bread individually. If wholemeal status is a purchasing requirement, check the labelling on the current packaging. When serving the rolls unwrapped, use the product’s current allergen information.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ refers to bread made with at least three types of grain; it does not automatically mean wholemeal flour has been used. Check the wholemeal labelling and ingredients of the bread you want to buy.
For bread served unwrapped, the hotel must inform guests about allergens present before they eat, according to the NVWA. Keep the information for each bread up to date and accessible where it is served; additional conditions apply when providing it verbally.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that baker’s salt contains iodine, but bakers are not required to use it. Check the ingredients list or, for unwrapped bread, ask the supplier which salt was used.
Bake-off bread is suitable when the team has oven space and time to prepare smaller quantities during service. PLUS states that its wholemeal multigrain baguettes take 8–10 minutes to bake; follow the preparation instructions for any other product.
Not necessarily. According to PLUS product information, Schär Glutenvrije Meesterbakker Mehrkorn contains soya and may contain lupin, mustard and sesame. So check the current allergen information for the specific gluten-free bread and serve it separately.
