Don’t buy sugared anise seeds if you’re looking for Fairtrade chocolate: the De Ruijter variety described here is a sweet anise topping, not chocolate. Plan your menu first for an Indonesian rice table. If you’d also like to serve something sweet, choose deliberately between an anise-flavoured touch and chocolate served separately, and check the packaging of your chosen product for a Fairtrade claim.
You want to decide whether a sweet anise topping suits the menu you have planned. The Netherlands Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage describes a rice table as rice or noodles served with a variety of dishes; sugared anise seeds aren’t an essential part of it.
You want to check the claim on the chocolate you’re actually buying. Fairtrade Netherlands advises checking the explanation on the back of the packaging when a certification mark includes an arrow.
You’re considering sugared anise seeds as a sweet addition. The product information for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes lists wheat starch and wheat as allergens; check the packaging of the variety you buy.
First decide what you want to serve with the rice table. Then choose any sweet addition based on what you want it to do: add anise flavour, provide chocolate on the side or leave out a sweet addition altogether.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Whether it suits the menu | Decide whether you’d like a separate dessert or a sweet decorative touch alongside the rice table. | I don’t want to buy a sweet bread topping as if it were part of the rice table. For around 40% of consumers, how well it fits the menu would be their first concern. |
| Fairtrade certification | Check the certification mark on the chocolate packaging you choose. If the mark includes an arrow, read the additional explanation. | If I want to serve Fairtrade chocolate, the claim must apply to the variety I buy. Around 30% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | For sugared anise seeds, check the current ingredients, allergen and nutritional information on the packaging. | I want to know whether the sweet addition contains wheat and how much sugar it has before serving it. For around 30% of consumers, this would be their main concern. |
Albert Heijn describes De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes as crushed, sugared anise seeds. So you’re choosing something other than chocolate, even if you plan to use it as a sweet decoration.
Check the ingredients and decide whether you want an anise flavour or chocolate on the side for dessert.
A Fairtrade statement about a chocolate range or another product doesn’t automatically apply to the pack you’re holding. For products made with several ingredients, the explanation alongside the certification mark may also be important.
Check the Fairtrade certification mark and accompanying wording on the variety you’ve chosen.
According to the Netherlands Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage, an Indonesian rice table centres on rice or noodles served with a variety of dishes. An anise topping isn’t a substitute for these menu items.
Plan the rice table dishes first, and only add a separate sweet item if you want to serve one.
The product information for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes lists wheat starch and wheat as allergens. The amount of sugar may also be a factor when choosing a sweet addition.
Before buying, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the current packaging.
De Ruijter is relevant here for its sugared anise seeds; the chocolate ranges mentioned are separate options if you’re looking to serve chocolate as part of a dessert.
Dutch retailers describe the 270 g Gestampte Muisjes variety as a sweet anise topping.
A separate chocolate range for anyone who’d like to serve chocolate alongside the rice table.
A chocolate range to consider separately from your choice of sugared anise seeds.
A Lidl chocolate range for a separate sweet treat.
Another chocolate option, not a variety of sugared anise seeds.
No. De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes, as described by Albert Heijn, is made from sugared anise seeds, not chocolate. If you’re looking for a Fairtrade-certified product, check the certification mark and claim on the packaging you intend to buy.
Not as an essential part. The Netherlands Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage describes a rice table as rice or noodles served with a variety of dishes. Only use sugared anise seeds if you deliberately want to add a separate sweet touch.
Look for the official Fairtrade certification mark on the packaging of the chocolate you’ve chosen. Fairtrade Netherlands says that a mark with an arrow refers to additional information on the back; read it to see which products the claim applies to.
At the very least, check the current allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. The product information for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes lists wheat starch and wheat as allergens; don’t assume another pack has the same ingredients.
