Anyone making several cups
When serving a group, the pack size alone doesn’t tell you everything. The recommended amount per cup helps you work out how much you’ll need. 800 g and 1 kg packs are worth considering if you’re looking for a larger size.
Who are these options for?
Anyone who wants to control the sugar
Comparing the sugar content per 100 g helps you tell sweetened powders apart. With unsweetened cocoa, the person making the drink decides whether to add sugar.
Groups with different tastes or dietary requirements
A recipe containing cereals, banana or honey won’t necessarily suit everyone. Before serving the same powder to all your guests, check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the product you’ve chosen.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the number of cups you need to make, then compare recipes by their sugar content, ingredients and collection options that matter for your party.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| How much you’ll need | Net weight, amount per cup and number of servings, if stated. | When I’m planning to serve several bowls, I want to buy enough powder without relying on the pack size alone. Around 30% of consumers put planning how much to serve first. |
| Sugar and preparation | Sugar per 100 g of powder and, if shown on the pack, the value per prepared serving. | If I want to decide how much sugar to add, an already sweetened powder and unsweetened cocoa won’t meet the same need. Controlling sugar is a priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Taste and ingredients | Ingredients list, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact product. | When serving one drink to everyone, I need to consider my guests’ tastes and dietary requirements. This is the main factor in choosing a product for around 20% of consumers. |
| Product collection | Whether the product and pack size are available at your chosen shop or drive-through collection point. | If I need to collect my shopping before the party, I want to be able to get the recipe I’ve chosen from the right place. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this collection requirement. |
Common pitfalls to avoid
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Confusing instant powder with unsweetened cocoa
Instant mixes listed by manufacturers and retailers include sweetened recipes. With unsweetened cocoa, you can choose whether or not to add sugar when preparing the drink, so the two powders won’t necessarily make the same drink.
Choose based on how you plan to make each cup, rather than relying on the word ‘cocoa’ on the pack alone.
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Assuming the cocoa percentage tells you how much sugar there is
Chocolat Poulain lists 32% cocoa for Grand Arôme, as well as 67 g of sugar per 100 g of powder. These figures describe different aspects of the recipe.
Check the cocoa content, sugar per 100 g and recommended amount per cup separately.
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Choosing one recipe for everyone without checking its ingredients
Banania Original contains wheat and barley, among other ingredients. Other products mention soya or the possible presence of milk. A recipe you enjoy for its taste may not suit all your guests.
Check the label on the product you buy. If you know someone has an allergy or avoids certain ingredients, make sure you have an alternative with a suitable ingredient list.
Brands to compare
Nesquik
An instant mix available in a 1 kg size, among others, which may be worth considering if you’re making several cups.
- The Auchan listing for the product reviewed states that it contains 23% cocoa and can be made with hot or cold milk.
- The same listing mentions soya lecithin and 75.1 g of sugar per 100 g of powder. Check the details of the product you actually buy.
Poulain
Grand Arôme is a sweetened powder available in an 800 g pack, among others, for anyone looking for its 32% cocoa recipe.
- Chocolat Poulain states that Grand Arôme contains 32% cocoa.
- The brand’s listing also states that it contains 67 g of sugar per 100 g and may contain milk.
Banania
Banania Original chocolate powder combines cocoa, cereals, banana and honey, and is available in sizes up to 1 kg.
- Its ingredients make it easy to identify this distinctive flavour in advance.
- Banania lists wheat, barley and malted wheat among its ingredients, so this recipe isn’t suitable for anyone who needs to avoid gluten.
Carrefour Classic'
The Carrefour range includes KaoMix in a 1 kg pack, as well as 800 g packs of hot chocolate powder.
- These sizes give you several options for serving a group.
- Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the listing for the product you choose, rather than assuming they’re the same across the range.
P'tit Déli / Marque Repère E.Leclerc
P'tit Déli is an instant chocolate drink mix available in a 1 kg pack from E.Leclerc.
- The E.Leclerc listing states that this product contains 21% low-fat cocoa.
- Sugar is the first ingredient on its list. Collection availability depends on your chosen shop or drive-through collection point.
Auchan
Cao Kido is an Auchan instant mix available in a 1 kg pack.
- The Auchan listing states that Cao Kido contains 21.3% low-fat cocoa.
- It also states that the product contains 75 g of sugar per 100 g, soya lecithin and may contain traces of milk.
Hot chocolate powders to consider on Joybuy
These products are hot chocolate powders for making drinks at your party. Sizes from 800 g to 1 kg are suitable for serving several cups; with the 400 g product, you’ll need to check the quantity more carefully. If you’re looking for unsweetened cocoa, check the ingredients list of the product you’re considering.
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Suchard instant hot chocolate, 20% cocoa, 1 kg
The 1 kg pack is suitable for serving several cups. Use the serving instructions on the product to work out how much you’ll need. The product name states that it contains 20% cocoa. Check the ingredients and allergens before serving it to your group.
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VAN HOUTEN VH2, 34% cocoa, 1 kg
This 1 kg hot chocolate powder could make several drinks, and its name states that it contains 34% cocoa. That percentage alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar it contains, so check the nutritional information and serving instructions before choosing.
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Bananina Original chocolate powder, 1 kg
This 1 kg pack could be suitable for making several cups. If you’re looking for a recipe with cereals, banana and honey, check its exact ingredients and your guests’ allergens. Bananina Original is a different product from Banania Original.
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NESTLÉ NESQUIK, instant powder, 800 g
The 800 g pack is designed for making several drinks. To estimate how many cups you’ll get, follow the serving instructions for this product. When comparing sugar content with another powder, make sure the figures refer to the same amount of dry powder.
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BENCO Less Sugar, chocolate granules, 400 g
At 400 g, this product makes it especially important to compare the serving size with the number of cups you’re planning before a group gathering. ‘Less Sugar’ is part of its name, so check the sugar per 100 g rather than assuming what its nutritional content is.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nutri-Score compulsory on hot chocolate powder?
No. According to the European Commission, simplified front-of-pack nutrition labelling, including Nutri-Score, is voluntary under current European Union rules. When comparing two pre-packed powders, check their nutrition declarations even if neither displays a Nutri-Score.
Does the ‘soda tax’ apply to a tin of hot chocolate powder?
A dry powder is not, in itself, the drink or liquid preparation covered by the French legislation on this levy, as presented by Légifrance. So you shouldn’t consider the tin of powder a taxable drink simply because you’ll use it to make one.
How much powder should you allow for the party?
Multiply the recommended amount for your chosen product by the number of cups you’re planning. You can’t work out the number of servings from pack size alone: for example, Nesquik and Banania each have their own serving sizes and preparation instructions.
Can you make the powder with a plant-based drink?
Check the preparation instructions for your chosen product rather than assuming all powders will give the same result. Before serving guests with dietary requirements, check the ingredients and allergens in both the powder and the plant-based drink.
How should you store a large pack after the party?
Seal the container and follow the storage instructions on the product you’ve bought. Banania, for example, describes its Original powder as having a resealable pack, while Auchan recommends keeping Cao Kido away from heat and moisture.