Households that often make chocolate drinks
An 800 g to 1 kg pack could suit you if you make chocolate drinks regularly and expect to use all the powder.
Who is a large pack for?
People who pay attention to ingredients
If sugars or specific ingredients matter to you, check the nutritional information per 100 g and the ingredients list for each product. Product listings from Carrefour and Auchan, for example, show that some recipes may contain soya, wheat or barley.
Households that mainly eat a savoury breakfast
Hot chocolate powder is for when you fancy a sweet drink to have with your meal. If you’re looking only for savoury foods or flavours, this is a different kind of product.
What should you look at?
First, consider whether your household will regularly drink hot chocolate, then compare the recipes rather than choosing based on pack size alone.
| Factor | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and use | Net weight and how often you expect to make the drink. | If I make hot chocolate often, I want a pack my household will use in full. Around 40% of consumers prioritise this match between pack size and how they’ll use it. |
| Recipe and allergens | Sugars per 100 g of powder, ingredients and allergens for the exact product. | If I need to consider what’s in the recipe, its exact ingredients matter more to me than the pack size. This would be the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| How it fits into the meal | Whether you intend to have it as a sweet drink, separate from savoury foods. | If I usually have a savoury breakfast, I’ll only buy this powder if a chocolate drink also has a place at the table. Around 30% of consumers prioritise how they’ll use it. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Choosing a large pack without planning to use it
An 800 g or 1 kg pack only makes sense if your household makes this drink often enough to use the whole pack.
Think about how often you usually drink it before choosing a larger pack.
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Relying on the Nutri-Score alone
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, displaying the Nutri-Score is voluntary in France. If the logo appears on the pack, it’s no substitute for checking the nutritional information and ingredients.
Compare the sugars per 100 g of powder in particular, then check the ingredients list for the product you’re considering.
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Confusing a chocolate drink with a savoury food
Hot chocolate can accompany a meal made up of savoury foods, but it doesn’t replace a savoury food or seasoning.
If you want your breakfast to be entirely savoury, choose a product that suits that purpose rather than a large pack of hot chocolate powder.
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Assuming allergens are the same across an entire range
Carrefour’s listing for Nesquik 1 kg mentions soya lecithin; Auchan’s listing for Banania in a 1 kg pouch mentions cereals containing wheat and barley. These details apply to those specific products, not every powder from either brand.
If you have an allergy or avoid a particular ingredient, check the label on the product you receive.
Brands to know when comparing recipes
Nesquik
Carrefour lists, among others, a 1 kg tin of Nesquik.
- The listing for this product states that it contains 23% low-fat cocoa powder.
- It also mentions soya lecithin; don’t assume other pack sizes have the same ingredients.
Poulain
The range includes Grand Arôme in an 800 g tin.
- Carrefour’s listing for Grand Arôme 800 g states that it contains 32% low-fat cocoa powder.
- This percentage applies to this specific recipe; check any other Poulain product separately.
Banania
Auchan lists Banania hot chocolate powder in a 1 kg pouch.
- The listing describes a recipe combining cocoa and biscuit cereal.
- This cereal contains wheat and barley, so check the label if you need to avoid these ingredients.
Carrefour Classic'
Carrefour’s range includes KaoMix in a 1 kg pack.
- This pack size is worth comparing with other options for regular use.
- Pack size doesn’t tell you what’s in the recipe, so check the nutritional information and ingredients for the specific product.
Hot chocolate powders on Joybuy
These 800 g to 1 kg packs are worth considering if you want to make a chocolate drink to have alongside a savoury breakfast. Whether they’re right for you depends on how often your household will use them and the recipe you’re looking for.
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VAN HOUTEN VH2, 34% hot chocolate powder, 1 kg
This 1 kg pack is suited to a household that regularly makes chocolate drinks. The description for this product mentions milk and possible traces of nuts; if you have an allergy, check the label on the product you receive.
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Bananina Original, 1 kg hot chocolate powder
This 1 kg pack could suit you if your household regularly chooses chocolate drinks and you’re looking for a recipe with cereals. The product description mentions wheat and barley, as well as possible traces of milk and soya. If these ingredients are a concern, check the label on the product you receive.
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BENCO Original, 800 g granulated hot chocolate powder
This 800 g pack suits a household that wants to make granulated hot chocolate regularly. Before buying, check the ingredients and allergens on the label for the product you’ve chosen.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nutri-Score compulsory on hot chocolate powder sold in France?
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, displaying the Nutri-Score remains voluntary in France. The DGCCRF states that nutritional declarations are compulsory for most pre-packed foods. Check them to compare the values per 100 g of powder, even if the logo isn’t shown.
Is hot chocolate powder suitable for a savoury breakfast?
Yes, as a sweet drink served alongside savoury foods, if that suits your household’s habits. However, it doesn’t replace a savoury food or seasoning.
Which ingredients should you check before choosing a large pack?
Check the ingredients list, sugars per 100 g and allergens for the exact product. For example, the respective product listings from Carrefour and Auchan mention soya lecithin in Nesquik 1 kg and wheat and barley in Banania in a 1 kg pouch. You should still check the label on the product you receive.
Does the French levy on sweetened drinks apply directly to dry powder?
The Official Bulletin of Public Finances describes a levy on non-alcoholic drinks. This information alone doesn’t mean that dry hot chocolate powder should be treated as a drink covered by the levy.