Don’t assume a standard canoe pastry is vegan: Jumbo Kano’s with butter contain milk and egg, while the Aviateur Kano’s described here contain milk derivatives. If you also want Fairtrade chocolate, check two separate things on the packaging of the product you choose: the ingredients or vegan labelling, and the Fairtrade labelling for the chocolate or cocoa.
If you avoid all animal-derived ingredients, you’ll need to check the specific variety. The Jumbo and Aviateur canoe pastries described here contain milk and/or egg; clear vegan labelling can help you choose a different product.
Look for Fairtrade labelling for the chocolate or cocoa on the product you choose. This labelling alone doesn’t tell you whether the product contains animal-derived ingredients.
The combination of biscuit and almond paste filling may matter more to you than choosing a vegan product. If so, bear in mind that the traditional varieties from Jumbo and Aviateur described here aren’t vegan.
A traditional canoe pastry, a treat you put together yourself and a dark chocolate bar don’t meet the same needs. First decide whether the canoe shape, vegan ingredients or Fairtrade chocolate matters most to you.
A good choice if: you want a biscuit with almond paste filling and don’t require it to be vegan.
Things to consider: Jumbo says its butter Kano’s contain milk and egg; PLUS says the Aviateur Kano’s contain milk derivatives.
A good choice if: you want to make something canoe-shaped and choose the biscuit base and chocolate separately.
Things to consider: you’ll need to check the ingredients and labelling of both components separately; a Fairtrade cocoa claim doesn’t prove that the chocolate is vegan.
A good choice if: chocolate matters more to you than the canoe shape or almond paste filling.
Things to consider: a bar isn’t a canoe pastry; check the vegan and Fairtrade labelling on the specific packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety; look for explicit vegan labelling if needed. | I don’t want animal-derived ingredients, so I can’t choose a canoe pastry containing milk or egg. Vegan suitability is a priority for around 45% of consumers. |
| Fairtrade chocolate | Look for Fairtrade labelling on the packaging and check what the claim applies to; assess vegan suitability separately. | When I choose chocolate, I want to see Fairtrade labelling on that specific product. For around 36% of consumers, this check is the main priority. |
| Traditional canoe pastry | Compare the ingredients of the canoe pastry you want; if you require a vegan product, choose one made differently. | I’m mainly looking for a biscuit with almond paste filling and don’t require it to be vegan. The familiar canoe shape matters most to around 19% of consumers. |
Fairtrade labelling doesn’t mean that a product is free from animal-derived ingredients. A product containing Fairtrade cocoa could still contain milk or egg.
Check the ingredients or vegan labelling first, then look separately for Fairtrade labelling.
The name tells you nothing about whether it’s vegan. Jumbo lists butter concentrate and egg yolk in its butter Kano’s; PLUS lists milk derivatives in Aviateur Kano’s.
Read the ingredients for the exact variety before choosing.
Verkade states that its chocolate bars and chocolate letters contain Fairtrade cocoa. This doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit from the same brand is vegan or carries the same cocoa claim.
Check the current packaging for the individual product, including the ingredients, allergens and relevant labelling.
Jumbo butter Kano’s are a traditional biscuit with almond paste filling.
PLUS describes Aviateur Kano’s as biscuits with a 46% almond paste filling.
Verkade states that its chocolate bars and chocolate letters contain Fairtrade cocoa. This is a chocolate option alongside the canoe pastry, not proof about any biscuit.
This dark chocolate bar is a good fit if Fairtrade chocolate is your priority and you don’t need a canoe pastry with almond paste filling. Check the vegan labelling and allergen information on the current packaging.
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A chocolate bar for anyone who values chocolate more than the canoe shape; this isn’t a biscuit with almond paste filling.
The product description states that it is Fairtrade and displays a vegan label. Check these claims on the current packaging: the product information also says that the bar may contain milk.
Not automatically. Jumbo says its butter Kano’s contain butter concentrate and egg yolk; PLUS lists milk protein and lactose, among other ingredients, in the Aviateur Kano’s described here. Read the label on the variety you want to buy.
No. A Fairtrade cocoa claim doesn’t confirm that a product is free from animal-derived ingredients. Check the cocoa claim and the ingredients or vegan labelling separately.
According to Fairtrade International, the mark with an arrow is used on products with multiple ingredients, including chocolate bars. Read the labelling on the packaging to see how the Fairtrade claim applies to the product you choose.
The packaging gives you information about the variety you have in your hands. PLUS notes that ingredients and nutritional information can change, so check the ingredients and allergens again when you buy it. Also check the vegan and Fairtrade labelling if these matter to your choice.
