Organisers of self-service stands
Visitors may want to take away a sealed portion without reaching into an opened pack. Albert Heijn lists Lotus Biscoff Speculoos XL as containing ten bags, each with two biscuits.
Which packaging works best for whom?
How you hand out the biscuits will determine whether individual portions or a bulk pack is best for your stand. A gluten-free option needs its own space and clear product information.
Volunteers at a staffed serving point
You can serve biscuits from a bulk pack and reseal the rest between servings. Jumbo lists its 600 g bakery speculaas as containing around 48 portions. This is a useful guide for planning, not a pack of individually wrapped portions.
Organisers offering a separate gluten-free option
You’ll need a clearly identifiable gluten-free product, and visitors must also be able to check information about other allergens. Keep the original packaging available with this option.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether visitors will help themselves or someone will hand out the biscuits. Then consider what separate option you need for visitors who eat gluten-free, and whether filled speculaas is right for the festival.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Handing out individual portions | Count the sealed bags and check how many biscuits each contains. Check the allergens too. | If visitors are taking something without help, I don’t want everyone reaching into the same opened pack. Around 37% of consumers would prioritise individual portions. |
| Serving lots of portions | Compare the net weight, any stated number of portions and the storage instructions after opening. | At a staffed stand, I want to put out plenty of traditional speculaas and reseal the rest. For around 27% of consumers, the number of portions would be the main consideration. |
| A gluten-free option | Check the current label for gluten-free information, other allergens and warnings about possible traces. | If I’m offering a gluten-free option, I also want to be able to show which other allergens it contains. Around 18% of consumers would prioritise this separate option. |
| A seasonal filled variety | Check the filling, allergens, pack format and availability in store. | For a seasonal occasion, I might want to share filled speculaas, but not as the only biscuit for every visitor. Around 18% of consumers would make this their first priority. |
Common mistakes
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Treating a bulk pack as individually portioned
A 600 g pack may contain plenty of biscuits, but biscuits taken from an opened pack are not the same as sealed individual portions.
Choose individual bags if visitors will be helping themselves. A bulk pack is better suited to a staffed serving point, where you can reseal the remaining biscuits between servings.
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Assuming gluten-free means allergen-free
The gluten-free speculaas from Albert Heijn and Jumbo that we looked at also lists egg and warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
Keep these products separate in their original packaging and ask visitors to check the full label.
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Planning to serve filled speculaas as the only biscuit
ALDI’s seasonal variety contains almonds and almond paste. This means it won’t suit every visitor or every preference.
Offer filled speculaas as an additional choice, and check that your preferred variety is available locally before you shop.
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Relying only on the online product description
When you’re serving the biscuits, visitors should be able to check the information on the product that’s actually on the table.
Before buying and serving, check the physical packaging for allergens, use-by or best-before information, and storage instructions.
Relevant brands and supermarket own-labels
These product ranges offer different ways to share speculaas. A brand name alone won’t tell you whether a particular pack is right for self-service, a staffed stand or a gluten-free table.
Lotus Biscoff
Albert Heijn lists a Speculoos XL pack with ten bags of two biscuits, as well as a separate pack of 300 individually wrapped biscuits.
- The XL bags make it easy to organise a self-service stand.
- Check these products for wheat, soya and cereals containing gluten. The 300-piece pack was not stocked by Albert Heijn.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists 600 g bakery speculaas for serving larger numbers, as well as Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas, a separate 125 g product range.
- Jumbo gives around 48 portions for the 600 g pack and lists the Crossed Grain quality mark for its gluten-free variety.
- The regular variety contains wheat and gluten. For the gluten-free variety, check the label for egg and possible traces of other allergens too.
Albert Heijn
AH Glutenvrij Speculaas is a separate option alongside regular speculaas. Albert Heijn states that this variety is made in a completely gluten-free environment.
- A clearly identifiable, separate product makes it easier to present the gluten-free option on its own.
- Check the packaging for egg and warnings about possible traces of sesame and nuts.
Lidl
Lidl’s product page lists 600 g bakery speculaas as a supermarket product, a size suited to serving at a staffed stand.
- The net weight gives you a starting point for planning how many packs you’ll need.
- Before serving, check the ingredients, allergens and storage instructions on the packaging in store.
ALDI
ALDI lists a seasonal filled speculaas variety in two 250 g packs, containing almonds and almond paste.
- The twin-pack format means you can open one pack at a time.
- This variety is unsuitable for visitors with a relevant allergy because it contains almonds. ALDI also warns that promotional products may sell out quickly.
Speculaas on Joybuy
These options include a pack of bakery speculaas and an almond variety for a seasonal occasion. If visitors will be helping themselves without assistance, check how the portions are packed rather than looking only at the pack weight.
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De Ruiter Bakers Speculaas 450 g
A pack of bakery speculaas to share at a staffed serving point. For self-service, check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped. Before serving, check the label for wheat and possible traces of nuts.
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g'woon Almond Speculaas 400 g
An almond variety to offer as a separate seasonal option. For self-service, check how the portions are packed. If visitors have allergies, check the label for almonds, milk, egg, wheat and soya, among other allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Are individual bags useful for a self-service stand?
Yes, if visitors need to be able to take a sealed portion without reaching into an opened pack. Albert Heijn lists Lotus Biscoff Speculoos XL as containing ten bags, each with two biscuits. Check the packaging for wheat, soya and cereals containing gluten too.
Can I offer regular speculaas as a gluten-free option?
No. Choose a product that is explicitly labelled gluten-free. The regular Lotus and Jumbo varieties we looked at list wheat or gluten. For a gluten-free variety, check the current label for other allergens too.
What information should I keep available at the serving point?
Keep the original packaging available so visitors can read the ingredients and allergen information. Before serving, also check the use-by or best-before date and storage instructions for the product you’re actually using.
Is filled speculaas suitable as the only festival treat?
Not if you also want to consider visitors who may be unable to eat the filling or certain allergens. ALDI’s filled speculaas lists almonds and almond paste. Check local availability, and consider offering regular speculaas as well, plus a separate gluten-free option where needed.
How should I handle an opened bulk pack during the festival?
Follow the storage instructions on the label and reseal the remaining biscuits after serving. For its 600 g bakery speculaas, Jumbo advises storing it in a cool, dry place and sealing the pack tightly after opening. Keep the allergen information available at the serving point too.