FAQ – Frequently asked questions
Ingredients
1. Are there animal ingredients in Hosta products?
Dairy products are used in the manufacture of certain Hosta products (e.g. nippon, ROMY). Our product Mr.Tom does not contain any animal ingredients and is labelled as vegan with the V-Label certificate.
2. Do Hosta’s products contain alcohol?
Alcohol is not used as an ingredient in our products. However, based on the current recipes, we cannot exclude the smallest amounts of alcohol in the flavours used in all our products.
3. Which products are free from allergens?
The list of ingredients provides information on the ingredients and additives contained in the product in descending order. Allergenic ingredients are highlighted in bold. We also indicate the presence of possible traces at the end of the list of ingredients (“May contain traces of …”) if the risk of unintentional contact with allergens cannot be completely ruled out.
4. Are the fats used of animal or vegetable origin?
Depending on the product, Hosta uses fats of vegetable origin (e.g. cocoa butter, palm fat, shea butter) and/or fats of animal origin (e.g. clarified butter).
5. Which Hosta products are vegan or vegetarian?
Our product Mr.Tom does not contain any animal ingredients and is labelled as vegan with the V-Label. With our other products, however, we cannot currently rule out the possibility that individual ingredients are not suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet due to their manufacturing processes.
6. Do Hosta products contain palm oil?
Our ROMY Original coconut chocolate and our Mr. Tom product do not contain palm oil. However, palm oil is used in other products. Palm oil is spreadable at room temperature and therefore enables a creamy consistency, which is desirable for praline fillings, for example.
Storage
1. How should chocolate be stored correctly?
To maintain optimum quality, chocolate should be stored dry and protected from heat at a temperature of 15 to 20 °C.
2. My Hosta product looks strange. It has a whitish coating. What is that?
The white to greyish coating on the chocolate is so-called “fat bloom”, which can occur as a result of incorrect storage. It is harmless from a health point of view, but not nice to look at. Fat bloom is often confused with mould, but has nothing to do with it.
Cocoa butter is an important component of our Hosta chocolate. If the finished chocolate product gets a little too warm, the fat migrates to the surface and forms a whitish coating. This is reminiscent of hoar frost in winter and is therefore called “fat bloom” by the experts.
For this reason, we control the temperature of our chocolate until it leaves the production facility. After that, the transport and trading companies are responsible for maintaining the correct storage temperatures.
Tip: When buying chocolate and also when storing it at home, it is best to ensure that it is not directly under a radiator or near a radiator. The ideal storage temperature is between 15 and 20 °C.
3. What does the best-before date (MHD) mean?
The best-before date (MHD) indicates the minimum shelf life of the product if the storage conditions are met. The manufacturer guarantees largely consistent quality up to this date. Once the best-before date has expired, food is not automatically spoilt or unfit for consumption. In most cases, products are edible beyond the best-before date. Our senses (sight, smell and taste) help us to recognise this before food that is still good is thrown away unnecessarily.
Other questions
1. How do I get products to try?
We are often asked for samples of new or well-known Hosta products. In principle, we do not send out samples. Product samples reach our Hosta fans through advertising campaigns, e.g. tasting campaigns in shops or so-called “street sampling”. Otherwise, we often offer new products and tastings in our factory outlet. The regular opening hours can be found on our website.
2. Can I apply to be a product tester at Hosta?
In order to test new products, we carry out professional market research studies – with experts from the food industry or via market research institutes.
Tip: As a product tester, you could apply to market research institutes in your local area and, with a bit of luck, you could also test a new Hosta product.
3. How can I get promotional material or merchandise?
Many Hosta fans are not only enthusiastic about Hosta chocolate, but also about our promotional materials and often ask us if we can send them to them or where they can obtain them. The requested materials are often only produced for specific promotional activities and cannot usually be purchased. Sometimes we give away Hosta items in our competitions. In that case, it all depends on your luck.
Company
1. Sponsoring and donations
We receive a large number of enquiries every day asking us to support you as a sponsor with a donation in kind or money. However, as we already have a number of advertising partners and are intensively involved in various areas, it is unfortunately not always possible to offer support beyond this.
2. Is it possible to take part in a factory tour?
We have to go to great lengths to ensure that our products are always of impeccable and tasty quality. As our production is subject to strict and hygienic conditions for foodstuffs, it is difficult to organise a factory tour. For this reason, factory tours on site are unfortunately not possible. Thank you for your understanding.
3. How can I get information about the company?
You can find information about Hosta on our website www.hosta-group.com and on our social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram.
4. Are there any vacancies in your company?
We are always on the lookout for new talent. You can find more information on our website www.hosta-group.com/miteinander/karriere.
5. Who can I contact if I have any questions or problems?
If you have any questions or problems, you are welcome to use our contact form or contact us by post.
By post:
Hosta – Werk für Schokolade-Spezialitäten GmbH & Co. KG Greutstraße 9
74597 Stimpfach-Randenweiler
Hotline DE/AT/CH: +49 7967 153-0 (not free of charge)
