Organisers serving plain biscuits with hot drinks
Plain Rich Tea and Rich Tea fingers keep the order within the requested biscuit category. Neither format should be described as chocolate-coated.
Who is each option for?
Organisers prioritising a chocolate coating
A separately labelled chocolate biscuit can meet that preference if the event brief allows a change of biscuit type. M&S, for example, describes its milk-chocolate-coated Bourbon Creams as Bourbon Creams, not Rich Tea.
Caterers managing allergens at self-service tables
Check the delivered packs and keep their ingredient information available. The Food Standards Agency advises food businesses to control allergen-containing ingredients and protect other foods from cross-contact.
What should you check before ordering?
Settle whether Rich Tea or a chocolate coating is essential, then plan quantities and allergen handling for the biscuits you actually order.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuit and coating | Check that the description names Rich Tea if the category is required, and explicitly confirms a coating if that is required. Cocoa in a product name is not confirmation of a coating. | My event brief calls for chocolate-coated Rich Tea, so a plain biscuit or a cocoa variation will not meet it without a change to the brief. |
| Pack quantities | Compare pack weight with a stated biscuit count, where available. Tesco lists a typical 72 biscuits for McVitie’s Rich Tea Classic 600 g twin pack; Waitrose lists approximately 50 for its 250 g Rich Tea Fingers. | I need enough biscuits for the refreshment break and want to calculate quantities from the particular packs I order. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the delivered pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements. Check the foods and serving utensils for cross-contact risks; a vegan label does not settle every allergen question. | Attendees need accurate information about what is served, especially if plain and chocolate biscuits sit on the same table. |
| Serving format | Decide whether standard biscuits, Rich Tea fingers or a separately identified chocolate biscuit fit the planned trays and self-service arrangement. | I want attendees to be able to distinguish the plain option from the chocolate option without mistaking either for chocolate-coated Rich Tea. |
What can go wrong with the order?
-
Reading “cocoa” as “chocolate-coated”
Tesco identifies McVitie’s Rich Tea Cocoa as a cocoa variant, but its listing does not establish a chocolate coating. That name alone cannot satisfy a coating requirement.
Ask the supplier to confirm the coating in the current description and pack image before using “chocolate-coated” on an order or menu.
-
Calling a different chocolate biscuit Rich Tea
M&S Milk Chocolate Coated Bourbon Creams are explicitly coated, but they are Bourbon Creams. Their listed ingredients include milk, wheat and soya.
Label a category change clearly and assess the chocolate biscuit’s own ingredients rather than carrying over information from the plain Rich Tea option.
-
Using an old product listing for allergen information
Ingredients and precautionary statements can change, so a web listing may not describe the packs delivered for the event.
Check each delivered pack, retain its ingredient information and separate foods or utensils where cross-contact is a risk. The Food Standards Agency advises food businesses to control allergen-containing ingredients.
Relevant brand and retailer references
These named ranges illustrate the difference between plain Rich Tea, a cocoa variant and a biscuit explicitly described as chocolate-coated.
McVitie’s
Tesco lists McVitie’s Rich Tea Classic as a 600 g twin pack and Rich Tea Cocoa as a separate 300 g product.
- Tesco states a typical 72 biscuits for the Classic twin pack.
- The Rich Tea Cocoa listing does not establish a coating. Check the current pack and availability before planning an event order around it.
Tesco
Tesco lists an own-label 300 g plain Rich Tea biscuit described as suitable for vegans.
- A plain Rich Tea option when retaining that biscuit type matters more than a coating.
- Its listed ingredients include wheat flour and barley malt extract; the listing also says it may contain peanuts and nuts.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 200 g plain Rich Tea pack described as suitable for vegans.
- The retailer states approximately 25 servings per pack, which is a serving figure rather than a biscuit count.
- The listed ingredients include wheat flour and barley malt extract; this is not a chocolate-coated option.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists a 250 g pack of plain Rich Tea Fingers described as suitable for vegans.
- The retailer states approximately 50 biscuits per pack for planning tray quantities.
- The finger shape does not make them chocolate-coated; check the pack for cereal allergen information.
M&S
M&S lists plain Rich Tea separately from its Milk Chocolate Coated Bourbon Creams.
- The Bourbon Cream description explicitly identifies a milk-chocolate coating if a different biscuit type is acceptable.
- The coated Bourbon Creams contain milk, wheat and soya. M&S separately warns that its plain Rich Tea is not suitable for people with milk, nut or peanut allergies.
Joybuy options for the refreshment table
These options include plain Rich Tea and different chocolate or chocolate-named snacks. Check the pack description if a chocolate coating, rather than chocolate flavour, is essential.
No image available
McVitie’s Seriously Chocolate Digestives 250g
A chocolate-named Digestive option if the event brief allows a biscuit other than Rich Tea. The 250g pack name does not itself confirm how the chocolate is applied; check the pack if a coating is required, along with its allergen declaration.
No image available
McVitie’s Rich Tea Twin Pack 2x300g
Choose this twin pack when the order calls for Rich Tea without requiring chocolate. It contains two 300g packs; check the delivered packs’ ingredients and allergen statements before service.
No image available
Cadbury White Chocolate Fingers Biscuits 114g
The finger format offers a different biscuit for the refreshment table, not Rich Tea. Allow for the 114g pack size when planning quantities, and confirm the coating and allergen details on the pack if those determine the order.
No image available
Tunnocks Milk Chocolate Caramel Wafer 8 Pack
An eight-pack of caramel wafers for an order that permits a wafer snack rather than a Rich Tea biscuit. Confirm the chocolate description and check the delivered pack’s allergen information before presenting it alongside biscuits.
Frequently asked questions
Is McVitie’s Rich Tea Cocoa chocolate-coated?
Do not treat it as chocolate-coated on the strength of its name. Tesco identifies it as Rich Tea Cocoa but does not establish a coating in the cited listing; check the current pack if coating is essential.
Which plain Rich Tea options are labelled suitable for vegans?
Tesco lists its 300 g Rich Tea, Sainsbury’s its 200 g Rich Tea and Waitrose its 250 g Rich Tea Fingers as suitable for vegans. Check the delivered pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen statements separately; a vegan description is not an all-allergen claim.
What if biscuits are repacked for direct sale?
If the food meets the definition of prepacked for direct sale, the Food Standards Agency says that, since 1 October 2021, UK labels must show the food’s name and a full ingredients list with the 14 regulated allergens emphasised. Check whether that definition applies to your particular packing and sale arrangement rather than assuming every conference portion is covered.
How should plain and chocolate biscuits be served together?
Keep their identities and ingredient information clear, and separate foods and utensils where needed to control allergen cross-contact, as advised by the Food Standards Agency. Check each pack: M&S lists milk, wheat and soya in its chocolate-coated Bourbon Creams, while the cited plain Rich Tea products also contain cereals with gluten.
How many Waitrose Rich Tea Fingers are in a pack?
Waitrose states approximately 50 biscuits in its 250 g Rich Tea Fingers pack. Use the statement on the packs ordered for final conference quantities.