Choose a complete pancake mix if you want to take as few separate ingredients as possible for the batter to your festival. The complete mixes described here require water, but you’ll still need cooking fat, equipment and safe working practices. A plain, multigrain or wholemeal mix is a better fit if you want to offer a different recipe and can handle the additional ingredients. If you sell unpackaged pancakes, good hygiene and accurate allergen information, in line with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), are also part of your decision.
If you want to measure out as few ingredients as possible while serving customers, the preparation instructions matter more than the word ‘complete’ on the front of the pack. The complete mixes from Koopmans, Jumbo and PLUS described here need water for the batter, but their listed ingredients also include wheat, milk and egg.
Visitors need to know which allergens are present in unpackaged pancakes. The NVWA requires vendors to inform customers about this, so check both the mix you use and the other ingredients in the prepared pancake.
If you want to offer a multigrain or wholemeal pancake as well as a plain option, compare the ingredients in both mixes. Albert Heijn stocks these types; ‘multigrain’ and ‘wholemeal’ do not, by themselves, mean that a product is gluten-free.
Start with the preparation steps you can manage on site. Then compare allergens, the number of servings per pack and the recipes you want to offer.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing on site | Check whether the exact mix requires water, milk or eggs, and what equipment you’ll need to make the batter. | I don’t want to keep measuring out separate ingredients between orders. Around 33% of consumers prioritise easy preparation. |
| Allergens and hygiene | Read the allergen information for every product you use, and decide how you’ll work safely and inform visitors before they buy. | If I sell unpackaged pancakes, I want to be able to answer questions about allergens accurately. This is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Yield per pack | Compare the pack size and stated number of servings. Allow for the size of your pancakes and any batter left over. | At a busy stall, I want to know how many batches to prepare without making more batter than I need. This is the main priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Choice of recipes | Compare the ingredients in the plain and multigrain or wholemeal varieties you actually plan to use. | I want to offer visitors a familiar plain option as well as a different grain-based recipe. Around 14% of consumers give this choice top priority. |
Water may be all you need to make the batter, but the complete mixes described here contain wheat, milk and egg. You’ll still need a suitable set-up for cooking and selling, as well as allergen information.
Read the label on the pack you choose, and arrange cooking fat, clean equipment and a way to tell visitors about allergens before the event.
These terms describe the recipe, not the absence of gluten. The multigrain examples described here contain wheat or other gluten-containing cereals.
Base the information you give visitors on the ingredients and allergen details for the exact product. Make sure your batter or cooking equipment doesn’t lead you to give incorrect allergen information.
A 200 g pack and a 400 g pack do not have the same stated yield. The number of pancakes you make also depends on the recipe you follow and their size.
Compare the serving information on the packs you’ve chosen and plan how much batter you’ll need for each round of cooking.
If you make several small batches, mixing more often and changing packs adds extra steps while you’re serving customers.
The NVWA requires food sold at markets and events to be prepared, stored and sold safely and hygienically. Choosing a particular mix doesn’t remove these responsibilities.
Before buying your supplies, check what facilities are available at the venue for handwashing, cleaning, waste disposal and storing ingredients. Ask the event organiser and local authority which requirements apply to your pitch.
Compare the exact variety from each brand: the extra ingredients required, stated number of servings and allergens can all differ.
Koopmans offers, among other products, Original and Complete pancake mixes.
Albert Heijn stocks plain, complete, multigrain and wholemeal varieties, as well as shaker bottles.
Jumbo offers 400 g plain and complete mixes, with different preparation steps.
PLUS offers plain and complete mixes, as well as a plain shaker bottle.
Belbake is the Lidl own-brand behind the Original pancake mix described here.
Albona is an ALDI own-brand with plain and multigrain pancake mixes.
These products offer different ways to make batter for a street festival: with a complete mix, a mix made with a different type of grain, or a standard mix. For each product, compare the additional ingredients required and check the current label.
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A complete mix in a bottle for anyone who wants to handle fewer separate batter ingredients on site.
Check how many pancakes you can make per bottle and read the allergen information on the current pack. You’ll still need a suitable set-up and cooking fat.
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An option if you want to offer a different grain-based recipe alongside a classic pancake.
Allow for the milk, eggs and cooking fat needed for this mix. Check the cereal ingredients and allergens on the current pack; don’t assume it’s gluten-free based on the variety name.
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A standard mix for anyone who wants to offer a classic option and can handle the additional ingredients on site.
You’ll need milk, eggs and cooking fat to prepare it. Follow the instructions and allergen information on this exact pack.
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A small pack to consider if you only want to make a limited amount of batter.
The preparation instructions call for an egg. Before planning batches for your festival, check the yield and read the allergen information for both the mix and the prepared pancake.
No, not if offering a different recipe or making a larger batch matters more to you than keeping the batter simple. The complete mixes from Koopmans, Jumbo and PLUS described here require water for the batter, but you’ll still need cooking fat, a safe cooking set-up and allergen information. Their listed ingredients include wheat, milk and egg.
Not based on the name alone: multigrain and wholemeal describe the cereal recipe, not the absence of gluten. The examples described here, which include wheat among their ingredients, should not be labelled gluten-free just because of their variety name. Check the exact label.
Yes. If you offer unpackaged pancakes, customers must be able to get information about any allergens present before they buy, in line with the NVWA’s requirements. You can provide this information in writing or verbally, as long as it’s clear that customers can ask for it. Include all the other ingredients you use, too.
Follow the instructions for the exact shaker bottle. For the 200 g plain shaker bottle described here, PLUS says that batter must be used straight away after adding milk and must not be stored.
