ParleBiscuits & Cookies#19 of 30 in categoryRating 2/5

Parle Milano Hide & Seek Caffe Mocha Cookies

Parle Milano Hide & Seek Caffe Mocha Cookies pack, front view

Red flags

  • Red flag: High added sugar (31.7g per 100g)
  • Red flag: High saturated fat (9.2g)
  • Red flag: Refined flour (maida) base
  • Red flag: Palm oil listed

Green flags

  • Green flag: Source of protein (5.8g)

Ingredients, decoded

9 listed
  • Refined Wheat Flour (Maida)
  • Chocolate (21%) (Sugar, Cocoa Solids, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Emulsifier of vegetable origin (Soy Lecithin), Artificial flavouring substances - Vanilla)
  • Sugar
  • Refined Palm Oil
  • Invert Sugar Syrup
  • Instant Coffee-Chicory Mixture (1%)
  • Raising Agents (503(ii), 500(ii))
  • Iodised Salt
  • Emulsifier of vegetable origin [472e]
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

LPack claim not backed upHigh sugarHigh saturated fatHigh calories (over 400 kcal per 100 g)Nutrition per 100 g
ENutritionCIngredients4Risk
Energy478 kcal
Protein5.8 g
Carbohydrates73.6 g
Total sugars32 g
Added sugars31.7 g
Total fat17.8 g
Saturated fat9.2 g
Trans fat0 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium142 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Mocha cookies: 1% coffee, 32 g sugar, caramel colour

Parle Milano Hide & Seek Caffe Mocha Cookies are moulded cookies made from refined wheat flour (maida), chocolate (21%), sugar and refined palm oil, with invert sugar syrup, a 1% instant coffee-chicory mixture, raising agents, salt and an emulsifier. The pack is 308 g and the panel is printed per 100 g.

CleanPlate scores it [L]EC4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g; its 5.8 g of protein earns no credit because it is under 2.75 g per 100 kcal. The C for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by refined wheat flour, chocolate and sugar), with additives that cost points: caramel colour, flavouring and DATEM. The [L] marks a hollow label promise: coffee is named on the pack but makes up only 1% of the product. The 4 for risk comes mainly from free sugar (31.7 g per 100 g) and saturated fat (9.2 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • Product name

    “Caffe Mocha”

    Misleading

    Real coffee is 1% of the pack, as an instant coffee-chicory mixture, and an artificial coffee flavouring is added as well.

  • On the pack

    “With Chocolate Chips & Coffee”

    Partly true

    The chocolate is declared at 21%, but the coffee is only 1% of the pack.

  • On the pack

    “Made with the world's finest chocolates”

    Be careful

    The chocolate is sugar, cocoa solids, cocoa butter, dextrose, soy lecithin and artificial vanilla flavouring; "finest" is a superlative, not a measure.

  • On the pack

    “Coffee Flavoured Biscuits”

    Holds

    The back describes the biscuit as coffee flavoured, which is accurate: 1% coffee-chicory plus artificial coffee flavouring.

How EC4 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
E

Very low nutrient density

Protein
5.8 g
Fibre
Not declared
Vitamins and minerals
None declared
Energy
478 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
C

Mixed processing and additives

Base
Refined Wheat Flour
Main fat
Chocolate, Artificial f...
Sweeteners
3 types
Additives
4
Flagged
Maida, Palm oil
Artificial flavour or colour
Yes

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
4

High risk

Added sugar
31.7 g
Sodium
142 mg
Saturated fat
9.2 g
Trans fat
0 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

[L] The name or pack claims promise more than the ingredient list delivers. See Claims vs reality.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Refined wheat flour (maida), chocolate (21%) made from sugar, cocoa solids, cocoa butter, dextrose, soy lecithin and artificial vanilla flavouring, sugar, refined palm oil, invert sugar syrup, instant coffee-chicory mixture (1%), raising agents, iodised salt and emulsifier 472e. The back adds caramel colour (150d) and artificial coffee flavouring.

Per 100 g: 478 kcal, 17.8 g fat of which 9.2 g saturated, 32 g sugar of which 31.7 g added, 5.8 g protein, 142 mg sodium. Energy matches the Atwater sum (478 kcal) and trans fat is printed as 0 g. The serve (16.5 g, about 7 servings) does not add up to the printed 308 g net weight, so the net quantity follows the printed weight. No fibre is declared.

Ingredients to watch

  • Free sugarConcern

    31.7 g per 100 g, about 1.4 times the 22.5 g high line.

  • Coffee in the nameConcern

    Real coffee is 1% and an artificial coffee flavouring is listed too, which costs 6 label points.

  • AdditivesWorth watching

    Caramel colour 150d costs 4 points, the emulsifier 472e and the artificial flavouring 2 points each, and lecithin 1 point.

  • CaloriesWorth watching

    478 kcal per 100 g, about 79 kcal in a 16.5 g serve.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Cookies with coffee are an energy snack"

The coffee is 1% of the pack; the energy comes from 73.6 g of carbohydrate, 32 g of it sugar, and 17.8 g of fat.

Myth: "Moulded cookies are a premium food"

Moulded describes the shape, not the ingredients: the base is refined flour, sugar and refined palm oil.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsOccasionally
  • ChildrenRarely
  • Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Count the cookies

A 16.5 g serve is about 79 kcal, so a couple of cookies, not a handful from the 308 g pack.

Pair with plain milk or tea

Have one or two with unsweetened milk or tea so the cookie is the only sugar in the cup.

Common questions

Is Parle Milano Hide & Seek Caffe Mocha Cookies healthy?

Parle Milano Hide & Seek Caffe Mocha Cookies scores EC4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High added sugar (31.7g per 100g); High saturated fat (9.2g); Refined flour (maida) base; Palm oil listed. On the plus side: Source of protein (5.8g).

What does the EC4 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (C) grades ingredient and label integrity: mixed processing and additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.

Which ingredients in Parle Milano Hide & Seek Caffe Mocha Cookies should I watch?

Refined Wheat Flour (Maida) (Maida), Refined Palm Oil (Palm oil).

Last reviewed October 15, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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