For a school cake sale, choose an ice lolly multipack based on the number of portions you expect to serve, but only if you can keep it at the temperature stated on the packaging during transport and serving. Boxes of 8 to 12 sticks make it easier to prepare lots of individual portions; a pack of 4 is better for a smaller quantity or as an extra option. Whatever the recipe, make sure ingredient and allergen information is available for each product.
If you need to prepare and count a large number of portions, boxes of 8 or 12 sticks are worth considering. Carrefour offers a box of 12 Classic’ sticks, E.Leclerc has a 12-stick SMICY product, and Auchan offers a fruity pack of 8.
Selling ice lollies means keeping each pack at the required temperature during transport, while waiting to serve and during service. The French Ministry of National Education reminds organisers of this requirement for food served at school events.
If you sell the sticks separately from their box, you need to make sure each product can be clearly matched to its ingredient and allergen information. In particular, check the milk information for the exact product you’re selling.
Once you’ve arranged how to keep everything frozen, choose the number of portions and recipes to suit your plans. The pack sizes below meet different needs; ingredients and storage instructions vary from product to product.
Worth considering: for preparing lots of individual portions; both Carrefour and E.Leclerc offer a 12-stick product.
Bear in mind: you’ll need enough freezer space for the packs you choose, and you shouldn’t assume they all contain the same allergens.
Worth considering: if you’d like to add a fruity option; Auchan offers a pack of 8 fruit ice lollies.
Check: this product may contain traces of milk, peanuts and nuts; Auchan says to store it at −18 °C.
Worth considering: for a smaller quantity or as an extra recipe option; Magnum offers Classic x4 and ALDI has a pack of 4 MUCCI® sticks.
Bear in mind: you’ll need more packs if demand is high, and you should check the allergens for each recipe.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping products frozen | Compare the temperature shown on each pack with what’s actually possible during transport, storage and serving. The French Ministry of National Education says this temperature must be maintained at school events. | If I can’t keep the packs at the required temperature until they’re served, the number of sticks won’t solve my problem; around 42% of consumers put freezer arrangements at the heart of their decision. |
| Number of portions | Count the sticks in each box, then compare the total with the number of sales you expect and the freezer space available. | I want to prepare individual portions without opening too many boxes or having far more portions than I need; for around 33% of consumers, the number of portions to serve is the main priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and any may-contain information for each product. If products are displayed outside their original packaging, prepare clear information that corresponds to each one. | To let families check a recipe before buying, I need to identify the exact stick being sold; clear allergen information comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
A box of 4 sticks and a box of 12 aren’t suited to the same number of sales. A larger pack may also take up more freezer space than you have available.
Estimate how many individual portions you’ll sell, then work out how many sticks and boxes you’ll need before choosing your products.
Too many portions take up valuable freezer space; too few mean you’ll have to rethink what you’re offering during the sale.
Auchan’s fruit ice lolly pack may contain traces of milk, peanuts and nuts. So the recipe name alone isn’t enough to give families the information they need.
Check the ingredients and warnings for the exact product, and don’t describe an entire product category as suitable for everyone with allergies.
The French Ministry of National Education says the temperatures shown on food labels must be maintained at school events. For its fruity pack, Auchan also says not to refreeze the product once thawed.
Plan storage that keeps the products at the required temperature, and only take out quantities you can serve while following the instructions on the pack.
For non-prepacked food, food packed at the customer’s request or food prepacked for direct sale, the rules published by Légifrance require allergen information to be clearly provided on or near the food.
Keep the packaging available for customers to check, or place a clearly labelled information sheet next to each product you’re selling.
These examples let you compare specific pack sizes and recipes. They don’t mean that every product from a particular brand is suitable for every school sale.
Magnum France offers products including its Classic x4 ice lolly pack.
Carrefour offers a box of 12 chocolate and vanilla Classic’ sticks.
E.Leclerc offers products including 12-piece SMICY ice lolly packs in its Marque Repère range.
Auchan offers a box of 8 fruit ice lollies, with a stated weight of 320 g.
ALDI France offers MUCCI® double-coated ice lollies in a pack of 4.
When selling individual ice lollies, you need to keep each product at the temperature stated on its packaging and make sure its product information is available. For non-prepacked food, food packed at the customer’s request or food prepacked for direct sale, the rules published by Légifrance require allergen information to be clearly provided on or near the food. Also check the arrangements for your event with the relevant organisers.
Use the label for each product rather than relying on its appearance or recipe name. Magnum France says Classic x4 contains milk, while Auchan’s fruity ice lolly pack may contain traces of milk. The DGCCRF says allergenic ingredients in prepacked food must be emphasised in the ingredients list.
Arrange transport, storage and serving so that you can maintain the temperature stated on each pack, as the French Ministry of National Education advises for school events. Auchan says its pack of 8 fruity sticks should be stored at −18 °C and must not be refrozen after thawing.
Yes. The French Ministry of National Education’s circular on food safety mentions school fêtes and highlights the importance of suitable storage conditions. For your event, also check the arrangements with the school’s headteacher and the organising association, as well as the local council if it’s involved.
Start with the number of portions you expect to serve and count the sticks in each box before choosing your packs. Remember to factor in the freezer space available too: Auchan says its fruity ice lollies must not be refrozen once thawed.