Organisers with a dark-chocolate brief
If the brief specifies a cocoa percentage, check whether it applies to the whole chocolate or just its shell. A dark product name does not settle that distinction.
Who is choosing the chocolates?
Caterers managing allergens
Keep current ingredient and allergen information accessible when chocolates are displayed, decanted or repacked, so attendees can check it before choosing.
Organisers allocating one treat per delegate
Individually sized bars may make allocation easier to plan than a shared assortment, provided a bar rather than a chocolate box fits the event brief.
What should you check before ordering?
Dark-shell truffle box
Choose when: A shared truffle box fits the event and a shell-specific 70% cocoa declaration meets the brief.
Bear in mind: ASDA Groceries describes the 70% minimum as applying to Lindt Lindor Extra Dark’s shell, not the complete filled truffle.
Larger dark assortment
Choose when: A shared selection of different centres matters more than a 70% cocoa requirement.
Bear in mind: Nestlé Confectionery declares 40% cocoa solids minimum for Black Magic’s dark chocolate; it does not meet a strict 70% requirement.
Individual dark bars
Choose when: Allocating one item to each delegate matters more than presenting a shared chocolate box.
Bear in mind: Divine Chocolate’s 30-pack contains individually sized 35g bars, not assorted boxed chocolates.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa wording | Read the exact percentage declaration and identify whether it covers the shell, outer layer or dark chocolate itself. Confirm a whole-item requirement against the exact product. | I need the cocoa claim to match the conference brief, not merely appear on a filled chocolate’s outer shell. |
| Allergen information | Check the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements. Plan how that information will remain accessible if chocolates leave their original packaging. | Attendees must be able to check ingredients before choosing, including when chocolates are served loose. |
| Serving quantity | Compare the declared pack weight with a stated piece count or individual unit count. Treat an approximate count as approximate. | I want to plan portions for the number of delegates without assuming every assortment contains the same number of pieces. |
| Serving format | Decide whether delegates will share a box, take an individually sized item or receive repacked chocolates. Check the allergen-information requirements for the chosen setup. | A shared display suits the event, or I need a straightforward way to allocate one item per person. |
What can go wrong at service?
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Assuming 70% describes the whole filled chocolate
ASDA Groceries states that Lindt Lindor Extra Dark’s 70% cocoa minimum applies to its dark shell. Ferrero Rocher UK likewise describes a 70% cocoa outer layer on its dark hazelnut bar.
Record the exact label wording in the catering brief. If the whole item must meet a stated percentage, confirm that requirement for the exact product rather than extending a shell claim to its filling.
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Substituting a familiar milk-chocolate assortment
Cadbury describes its Roses tub and Heroes box as milk-chocolate assortments. Neither is a substitute when the specified choice is dark chocolate.
Keep any milk-chocolate selection separate from the dark-chocolate order.
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Separating loose chocolates from their allergen details
Food Standards Agency guidance says food businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food. Once chocolates are decanted, the original box may no longer be beside the food.
Keep current product packaging or an accurate ingredient and allergen record available at service. If chocolates will be repacked for direct sale, check whether the setup meets the requirements for food prepacked for direct sale before preparing it.
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Checking the dark coating but not the centres
Nestlé Confectionery’s Black Magic assortment has varied centres, and its product information identifies milk, almonds, hazelnuts and egg. A dark coating does not establish the ingredients of every filling.
Check the current product information for the exact assortment and keep it available wherever attendees choose chocolates.
Which brand ranges are relevant?
Lindt Lindor
ASDA Groceries lists Lindor Extra Dark as a 200g box of approximately 16 filled truffles, with 70% cocoa minimum in the dark shell.
- A stated approximate piece count helps when planning a smaller shared display.
- The percentage is shell-specific. Check the current pack for milk, soya, barley and tree-nut information before service.
Black Magic
Nestlé Confectionery lists a 348g large dark-chocolate box with assorted centres and dark chocolate containing at least 40% cocoa solids.
- The assortment provides different centres for a shared display.
- It does not meet a 70% cocoa requirement; check the current ingredient information for milk, nuts and egg.
Cadbury Bournville
Cadbury presents Bournville as a dark-chocolate range.
- It is a range to check when a familiar dark-chocolate option is requested.
- Confirm the exact pack format, cocoa declaration and ingredients rather than assuming every Bournville product is a high-cocoa boxed assortment.
Godiva
Godiva Chocolates UK lists an eight-piece Dark Chocolate Assorted Box for a smaller presentation.
- The eight-piece format gives a stated quantity for a limited shared setting.
- Godiva says the selection may change. Check the current contents and allergen information before serving.
Ferrero Rocher
Ferrero Rocher UK lists a Dark 70% Chocolate Bar With Hazelnut as an individual-format alternative, not a box of assorted chocolates.
- Its stated 70% cocoa claim identifies the outer layer.
- The bar contains hazelnuts. Do not treat its outer-layer percentage as a whole-bar declaration or the bar as a boxed assortment.
Dark boxes on Joybuy
These two boxed options suit different shared-service briefs: a 200g Lindt truffle box with a 70% cocoa dark shell, or a 348g Black Magic assortment whose dark chocolate has a 40% minimum cocoa-solids declaration. Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information before serving either one.
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Lindt Lindor Dark 70% Cocoa 200g
For a smaller shared display where a shell-specific cocoa claim meets the brief. ASDA Groceries lists approximately 16 truffles in the 200g box and specifies 70% cocoa minimum for the dark shell, not the complete filled truffle. Check the current pack for milk, soya, barley and tree-nut information before service.
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Nestlé Black Magic Dark Chocolate Box 348g
For a shared display where assorted centres matter more than a 70% cocoa requirement. Nestlé Confectionery lists a 348g box with nine types of centre and dark chocolate containing at least 40% cocoa solids. Check the current pack for milk, almonds, hazelnuts, egg and other allergen information; confirm the piece count when planning portions.
Common questions
Does a dark chocolate box necessarily meet a 70% cocoa brief?
No. Read the declaration for the exact product and the part it describes. ASDA Groceries states 70% cocoa minimum for Lindt Lindor Extra Dark’s shell, while Nestlé Confectionery states 40% cocoa solids minimum for Black Magic’s dark chocolate.
Can a caterer serve loose chocolates without allergen information nearby?
Allergen information still needs to be available to attendees choosing loose chocolates. Food Standards Agency guidance covers both prepacked and non-prepacked food; keep the current packaging or an accurate allergen record accessible rather than relying on memory after decanting.
What should I check before repacking chocolates for attendees?
Determine whether the way you prepare and offer them makes them food prepacked for direct sale. Food Standards Scotland says such food must have a full ingredients label with any of the 14 regulated allergens emphasised. Keep the current ingredients for each product available when planning the packaging and labelling.
Are these dark chocolates suitable for attendees with milk or nut allergies?
Do not assume suitability from the word “dark”. The supplied product information identifies milk and possible tree nuts for Lindt Lindor Extra Dark, and milk, almonds and hazelnuts for Black Magic. Check the current label for the exact product and follow the event’s allergen-control procedure.