If your recipe calls for culinary coconut milk, choose that type of product rather than substituting a coconut drink without testing it first. If the sale requires a certified vegan ingredient, check that the certification applies to the product and pack size you buy: a “Vegan” claim on a retailer’s product page is not enough to prove independent certification. You’ll also need to provide allergen information for the finished cake, not just for the coconut milk.
If you’re advertising a cake made with a certified vegan ingredient, check the certification on the exact coconut milk you’ll be using. Ingredients that appear to be plant-based do not prove that the product is certified.
Does your recipe call for culinary coconut milk or a plant-based coconut drink? Telling these products apart before you buy helps you avoid an untested substitution.
For every cake on sale, list all the recipe ingredients and the allergens they contain, so you can provide information that is clearly linked to the finished product.
For a school cake sale, start with the requirements you’ve shared with families and the product specified in the recipe. Then check all the ingredients in the finished cake and the storage conditions needed for its preparation.
| Criteria | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan certification | If certification is required, check the label and certifying body, and make sure they apply to the product and pack size you’re buying. | When I promise that an ingredient is certified vegan for the sale, I want to be able to show proof for the product I’ve used. This would be the top priority for around 36% of the consumers concerned. |
| Suitable for the recipe | Check whether the recipe calls for culinary coconut milk or a coconut drink. If you’re substituting one for the other, test it before the sale. | When I’m making several cakes using the planned recipe, I don’t want to find out too late that a coconut drink changes the result. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise how well it suits the recipe. |
| Allergens in the finished cake | List the allergens in every ingredient you use and prepare information that is clearly linked to each non-prepacked cake. | If I’m answering questions from families at the stall, I need to be able to talk about the whole cake, including ingredients added to the coconut milk. Allergen information would be the main concern for around 28% of consumers. |
| Pack size and storage | Compare the amount required by the recipe with the pack size available, and follow the storage instructions after opening. | When I’m preparing a small batch, I look for a pack size that I can use up within the stated timeframe. This would be the main consideration for nearly 7% of consumers. |
A “Vegan” claim on a product page or a list of plant-based ingredients does not, by itself, prove that the product you buy has independent certification.
If you’re telling families that a product is certified, check the label and certifying body on the exact pack you’ll use, then keep this information for the sale.
Auchan’s product pages state that Kara contains 64% coconut extract and Jardin Bio Étic contains 68%. Carrefour France states that the Alpro drink in question contains 14.1% coconut milk. These products are formulated for different uses.
Buy the type of ingredient specified in the recipe, or test the substitution using the planned proportions before making cakes for the sale.
A cake made with coconut milk may also contain allergens from its other ingredients. In France, consumers must be informed about regulated allergens present in the finished product when it is sold non-prepacked, in line with the rules outlined by the European Commission and the decree of 17 April 2015 published on Légifrance.
Prepare information for each cake using the recipe and the packaging of the ingredients, then make it available at the point of sale and clearly link it to the relevant cake.
The French Ministry of National Education advises caution with food served at school events. It specifically names cakes with crème pâtissière or Chantilly cream as preparations that need particular care when it comes to storage.
If you can’t provide the required storage conditions, choose another recipe. Also follow the instructions on the ingredient packaging.
Auchan lists Jardin Bio Étic culinary coconut milk in a 22.5 cl tin, containing 68% coconut extract.
Auchan describes Kara organic culinary coconut milk in a 20 cl carton, containing 64% coconut extract.
The Alpro product listed by Carrefour France is a 1 L plant-based coconut drink containing 14.1% coconut milk, not culinary coconut milk.
No. These claims don’t prove that a product is certified vegan. If certification is required for the sale, check the label and certifying body for the exact product. V-Label’s criteria, for example, also cover the ingredients and processing aids used during manufacture.
Yes. In France, consumers must be informed about regulated allergens used in a non-prepacked cake that are still present in the finished product, in accordance with the decree of 17 April 2015 published on Légifrance. Use all the ingredients in the recipe to prepare information that is clearly linked to each cake.
Not without checking first. Use the type of product specified in the recipe, or test the substitution before the sale. Carrefour France and Auchan’s product pages state that the Alpro drink in question contains 14.1% coconut milk, compared with 64% and 68% coconut extract in the Kara and Jardin Bio Étic culinary products respectively.
Choose a recipe that you can store as required throughout the sale. The French Ministry of National Education specifically flags cakes with crème pâtissière or Chantilly cream as needing extra care. If you can’t provide the required storage conditions, choose another recipe.