Hotel coffee station manager
If you serve chocolate with coffee, having several bars means you can open them as needed. Carrefour France lists multipacks of three 100 g bars from Lindt, Côte d’Or and Carrefour, among others.
Who are these formats for?
Buyer of lunchbox portions
If each person is to receive a portion of chocolate, look at the number of pieces and how they are packed, rather than just the total weight of the bag. Also check whether you’re buying bars, mini bars or chocolate fingers.
Buyer checking the ingredients
To compare recipes or give people the information they need, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for each product. Other varieties from the same brand may have a different composition.
What should you look for?
First decide whether you’ll serve chocolate to share or hand out individual portions. Then compare weight, ingredients and supply options to find the format that suits your service.
| Criteria | What to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee service format | Number of bars, weight of each bar and whether you can open them gradually. | For serving with coffee, I prefer to keep the bars separate and open one as needed. Around 37% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Individual portions | Number of portions and type of product; check whether each portion has its own wrapper. | When preparing lunchboxes or trays, I look for portions that are easy to hand out without breaking up a bar. This is the main requirement for around 27% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Ingredients and allergens for the exact variety; nutritional values per 100 g. | Before offering chocolate to other people, I need to know what it contains and which allergens are listed. Around 18% of consumers prioritise this information. |
| Volume and supply | Total weight, number of portions and availability from your chosen retailer. | If the stock is also used for sharing or cooking, I need to choose a suitable quantity and be able to replenish it. For around 18% of consumers, this is the main priority. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming the soft drinks tax applies to chocolate bars
The levy described by the French Ministry of the Economy applies to sugary drinks, not chocolate bars. Sugar content is still worth checking on the label, but not in connection with this tax.
To compare two chocolates, check the sugar content per 100 g in the nutritional information.
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Expecting every pack to display a Nutri-Score
According to the DGCCRF and Santé publique France, displaying the Nutri-Score is voluntary in France. It does not replace the nutritional declaration required for prepacked food.
Read the values per 100 g and the ingredients list. Use the Nutri-Score as a guide only if it appears on the product you’ve chosen.
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Assuming all varieties contain the same allergens
Recipes and ‘may contain’ statements can vary from one product to another, even within the same brand. The multipack format alone doesn’t tell you what’s in the chocolate you’re serving.
Check the packaging for the exact variety and keep its information accessible while serving.
Brands to consider
These examples refer to specific products listed by Carrefour France. Their format or composition shouldn’t automatically be assumed to apply to other products from the same brand.
Lindt
The L’Authentique milk and dark chocolate bars are listed in multipacks of three 100 g bars, so you can open them as needed.
- Each multipack mentioned contains three separate bars.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for the milk or dark chocolate recipe before serving.
Côte d’Or
The L’Original milk and dark chocolate products mentioned are available in multipacks of three 100 g bars.
- Several bars in a pack make it easy to open them one at a time.
- Don’t assume the milk chocolate ingredients apply to the dark chocolate version.
Carrefour
The Classic’ milk chocolate product mentioned contains three 100 g bars.
- The quantity and weight per bar are clearly stated for this product.
- Check the allergen information for Classic’ milk chocolate; don’t assume it applies to other recipes.
Milka
The Mini Tablettes bag mentioned contains eight bars totalling 200 g. It’s an option if you’re looking for smaller portions, but it isn’t a multipack of standard chocolate bars.
- The number of portions is stated on the product mentioned.
- Check the packaging and allergens for each variety you plan to hand out.
Nestlé
The Dessert dark chocolate product mentioned contains three 205 g bars. It may be worth considering if you’ll also use the chocolate for cooking.
- This product is a multipack weighing 615 g in total.
- The word ‘Dessert’ alone doesn’t tell you whether this recipe is suitable for serving with coffee.
Formats available on Joybuy
These products illustrate two ways to serve chocolate: open several bars gradually, or hand out small portions with trays and lunchboxes. Check the type of product and its packaging before swapping one format for another.
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Milka Alpine Milk, 3 × 100 g
This pack of three 100 g bars is ideal for a service where bars are opened as needed. Check the allergens on the packaging of the product you receive before serving.
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Poulain Extra Dark, 3 × 100 g
Three 100 g dark chocolate bars make a handy format for a shared coffee station, as you can open them one at a time. Check the ingredients and allergens for this product before serving.
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Kinder Chocolate, 16 bars
Consider this pack of 16 bars if you’d rather hand out individual portions than break up larger bars. It isn’t a substitute for a multipack of standard bars when serving squares with coffee, so check the packaging and labelling.
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Toblerone Milk, 3 × 50 g
This pack of three 50 g bars could suit a stock of individually wrapped portions, with a different weight per bar from the 100 g bars. Check that the packaging works for the way you plan to serve them, and read the allergen information.
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Nestlé KitKat Strawberry Short Cake, 9 pieces, 104.4 g
This pack of nine small pieces may be suitable for handing out individually, but these aren’t standard bars to serve with coffee. To compare its ingredients with those of other products, check the nutritional values and allergens on the exact packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Does the soft drinks tax apply to chocolate bars in France?
No. The levy described by the French Ministry of the Economy applies to sugary drinks, not chocolate bars. To find out how much sugar a bar contains, check its nutritional information.
Does a chocolate bar have to display the Nutri-Score?
No. In France, the DGCCRF describes the Nutri-Score as a voluntary label, separate from the nutritional declaration required for prepacked food. Compare the values per 100 g and the ingredients even if the pack displays a Nutri-Score.
What should you check before serving prepacked chocolate with coffee?
Check the exact product, its ingredients list and any listed allergens. The DGCCRF notes that prepacked food labelling also includes a nutritional declaration. Keep the information for the variety you’re actually serving to hand.
Is a multipack of chocolate bars suitable for lunchboxes?
It is if you can prepare portions before handing them out and manage the chocolate once the pack is open. If you want to give each person a portion directly, consider smaller bars instead, checking that the packaging suits your needs.