Who is this choice relevant to?

Film fan who looks for Fairtrade

You’re looking for something sweet to share and want to know before you buy whether a Fairtrade claim applies to the cocoa or to the whole product.

Chocolate and speculaas fan

You’re mainly choosing based on the balance between the chocolate and speculaas flavours, and checking whether the pack size suits what you want to serve.

Snack sharer who checks allergens

Before sharing, you want to read the ingredients and warnings on the packaging, including information about milk, soya, wheat and nuts.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want a chocolate product with a hint of speculaas, or speculaas biscuits with chocolate chosen separately. Then check the precise cocoa claim and the ingredients in the products you’re actually buying.

Chocolate with a hint of speculaas

A good choice when: You want to share one product that already combines chocolate and speculaas flavour. Jumbo lists 10% biscuit pieces, 0.25% speculaas spices and Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Cocoa for Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate.

The trade-off: This is milk chocolate with biscuit pieces, not a separate speculaas biscuit. According to Jumbo, the product contains milk, soya and wheat, and may contain hazelnuts and almonds; the Fairtrade claim applies to the cocoa.

Speculaas biscuits and chocolate chosen separately

A good choice when: You want to decide for yourself how much biscuit and chocolate to serve, and assess the chocolate’s cocoa claim separately.

The trade-off: Check both packs separately. Albert Heijn says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified; this doesn’t tell you which of those claims applies to a specific product.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
What Fairtrade means Check which ingredient the mark refers to and what the packaging says about it. Fairtrade International distinguishes between an ingredient mark and a claim covering the whole product. I want to know whether Fairtrade applies to the cocoa before choosing chocolate; around 50% of consumers would consider clarity about the cocoa claim to be the main priority.
Flavour and sharing Compare the type of chocolate, the amount of biscuit or speculaas spices, and the pack size. If we’re sharing biscuits and chocolate, I want to choose the proportions and quantity to suit the group. Around 30% of consumers would put flavour and sharing first.
Allergens Read the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the current packaging. If someone joining in needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the snack before sharing it. Around 20% of consumers would put allergens first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a cocoa claim certifies all the ingredients

    Fairtrade International explains that an ingredient mark applies to the ingredient named. For Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate, Jumbo also states that Fairtrade cocoa is sourced using the mass balance approach; this doesn’t automatically mean the cocoa can be physically traced separately.

    Read the exact mark and explanation on the packaging before deciding whether the claim meets your expectations.

  • Going by the product name alone

    A product with a speculaas flavour may consist mainly of chocolate. According to Jumbo, Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate contains biscuit pieces and speculaas spices, as well as allergens that may matter to others watching the film with you.

    Compare the ingredients and allergen information if you’re buying for a group.

  • Assuming an old product listing is still current

    Albert Heijn lists AH Speculaas Met Pure Chocolade as discontinued; Jumbo says that Jumbo Speculaasmolens met Melkchocolade is no longer available in its online range.

    Check which products are available just before you buy. If you choose an alternative, check its certification claim and allergen information again.

Brands and shops to consider

Verkade

Worth considering if you’re looking for a chocolate product with a hint of speculaas: Jumbo describes Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate as milk chocolate with biscuit pieces and speculaas spices.

  • Jumbo lists Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Cocoa and provides product information about ingredients and allergens.
  • The claim applies to the cocoa, not necessarily to all the ingredients. According to Jumbo, the product contains milk, soya and wheat, and may contain hazelnuts and almonds.

Albert Heijn

A shop where you can compare separate speculaas biscuits and chocolate when you want to choose the proportions yourself.

  • Albert Heijn says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified.
  • Check the claim for the individual product. Albert Heijn lists AH Speculaas Met Pure Chocolade as discontinued.

Jumbo

A shop where you can consult the product information for Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate when making this choice.

  • The product information names the Fairtrade cocoa claim and lists the allergens in the Verkade product.
  • Jumbo says that Jumbo Speculaasmolens met Melkchocolade is no longer available in its online range; don’t assume another product has the same features based on this listing.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Cocoa mean that all the ingredients are Fairtrade?

No. The claim refers to the sourcing of the cocoa named. Fairtrade International distinguishes between an ingredient mark and a mark for the whole product; read the explanation on the packaging to see what the claim covers.

Do you need chocolate for a film night with speculaas?

No. Chocolate is a matter of taste and how you want to serve it. Choose a combined product if you want to share chocolate with a hint of speculaas, or choose speculaas biscuits and chocolate separately if you want to assess the proportions and cocoa claim individually.

Which allergens should I check in Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate?

Jumbo lists milk, soya and wheat for this product, and warns that it may contain hazelnuts and almonds. Always check the current label before sharing. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for pre-packed products is shown on the packaging.

How should I store chocolate with speculaas until film night?

The product information for Verkade Speculaas Milk Chocolate recommends storing it in a cool, dry, dark place. Follow the storage instructions and check the date on the packaging of the product you buy.