Choose the Fairtrade claim and serving format before settling on a cocoa percentage: the Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes the black FAIRTRADE Mark from a Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark, which identifies a particular ingredient. For a group, individual bars avoid dividing a shared bar; if tastes are uncertain, consider a 70–75% option and keep an 85% bar separate for guests who prefer high-cocoa chocolate. Check the current pack for allergen information, including when a chocolate is described as vegan.
Individual bars are straightforward to hand out at a festival food table. If guests have different tastes, consider offering a 70% bar alongside a separate high-cocoa choice rather than assuming everyone wants the same intensity.
Check whether the current pack carries a black FAIRTRADE Mark or identifies a particular Fairtrade-sourced ingredient. The Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes these marks; a general responsible-sourcing statement does not tell you which Fairtrade claim a bar makes.
A vegan recipe and allergy suitability are different questions. Before serving chocolate to others, read the exact pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen wording, and keep that packaging available at the table.
Start with the sourcing claim you want the chocolate to meet, then choose a format and cocoa level for the people you are serving.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for the mark and read which ingredients it covers. The Fairtrade Foundation says the black FAIRTRADE Mark covers ingredients that can be Fairtrade certified, while the white Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark identifies a specific ingredient. | I want the claim on this particular bar to match whether I am seeking Fairtrade ingredients more broadly or Fairtrade cocoa specifically. |
| Cocoa level | Compare the cocoa percentages on the bars you are considering. If comparing sugars, use the same per 100g basis and check each product’s current nutrition label. | For guests with varied preferences, I would offer a 70–75% option and leave 85% chocolate as a separate choice for those who enjoy it. |
| Serving format | Check the number and size of individual bars in a pack, or how a larger bar will be divided. Divine describes one group pack as 30 separate 35g bars. | Will I hand chocolate to attendees individually, or put portions from a larger bar on a shared table? |
| Allergen information | Read the current ingredients and any ‘may contain’ or ‘not suitable for’ wording on the exact pack. Do not use a vegan claim as a substitute for these checks. | When serving guests with allergies, I need the packaging available so the relevant product information can be checked before anyone eats it. |
A brand sourcing programme and a product-level Fairtrade mark convey different information. Even Fairtrade mark formats differ in which ingredients the claim identifies, as the Fairtrade Foundation explains.
If Fairtrade sourcing is essential to your choice, inspect the current pack’s mark and ingredient statement rather than relying on a general brand message.
An 85% bar may appeal to guests who prefer a pronounced cocoa flavour, but the percentage alone cannot establish what everyone at a shared table will enjoy.
Consider a 70–75% option for the table and present an 85% bar separately so guests can choose.
Dark chocolates described as vegan can still carry milk cross-contact warnings. The cited Divine products have ‘may contain’ warnings, and M&S says its cited dark bars are not suitable for people with a milk allergy.
Ask about relevant allergies, check each current pack and keep the packaging with the chocolate when serving.
Individual bars make distribution straightforward, but the pack needs to fit the number of people you intend to serve. Divine’s cited group pack contains 30 bars of 35g each.
Estimate how many portions you need before choosing between individual bars and larger bars that you will divide yourself.
Fairtrade wording and allergen information vary by product. These examples are reasons to check an exact bar, not claims that every product from a brand has the same certification or ingredients.
Divine describes Fairtrade ingredients in its cited 70% dark bars and offers both a 90g bar and a pack of 30 individual 35g bars.
The cited M&S dark bars offer 75% and 85% cocoa choices with product-specific Fairtrade sourcing wording.
The cited FitzRoy bar is a 74% cocoa option described by Montezuma’s as organic, vegan and palm-oil-free.
Lindt’s cited Excellence bar has 70% cocoa solids; Lindt describes its cocoa sourcing through its own Farming Program or other responsible-sourcing standards.
Hotel Chocolat discusses high-cocoa dark chocolate and publishes information about its corporate responsibility commitments.
These bars offer standard sharing formats at different stated cocoa levels, including a raspberry-flavoured option. For a festival food table, check the current pack’s Fairtrade wording and allergen information before choosing what to serve.
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A 90g bar can be divided for a shared table where guests want a 70% cocoa option. Check the current pack for the exact Fairtrade claim and allergen wording before serving.
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This larger bar can be divided if you are putting portions on a shared table. Check the current pack for its cocoa percentage, exact Fairtrade wording and allergens before serving.
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This raspberry variant offers another 70% cocoa choice for a shared selection, but the 90g bar needs dividing. The product information conflicts on milk and vegan suitability; check the physical pack’s ingredients, allergens and Fairtrade wording before buying or serving it.
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Consider this 85% cocoa bar as a separate choice for guests who prefer high-cocoa dark chocolate, rather than assuming it will suit the whole group. Divide the 90g bar for sharing and check the current pack’s Fairtrade claim and allergen wording.
No. The Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes the black FAIRTRADE Mark, which covers ingredients that can be Fairtrade certified, from the white Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark, which identifies a specific ingredient. Check the exact bar’s pack rather than treating a brand’s separate sourcing programme as the same claim.
Consider a 70–75% bar if you do not know everyone’s preference, with an 85% bar offered separately for guests who enjoy high-cocoa chocolate. Cocoa percentage helps describe the choices; it cannot tell you which flavour every guest will prefer.
Not necessarily. A vegan recipe can still carry a milk cross-contact warning: the cited Divine dark products have ‘may contain’ warnings, while M&S says its cited dark bars are not suitable for people with a milk allergy. Read the current pack for the exact product before serving it.
Individual bars make sense when you plan to hand chocolate out to attendees; Divine’s cited group pack contains 30 separate 35g bars. A larger bar can work for a small shared selection if you can divide it into the portions you need and keep its packaging available for ingredient and allergen checks.