Matej Fiala leads product development at Cookie Label, the private label division of AHA Cookies. He turns brand briefs into shelf-ready recipes, from protein cookies and energy balls to oat and fruit-based snacks, working hands-on with clients through recipe iteration, ingredient sourcing, and EU food-labelling compliance (Regulation 1169/2011). Matej makes sure every formulation is both distinctive and production-ready in our approved facility in Slovakia.
Areas of expertise
Articles by Matej Fiala
Guides
Allergen Labelling for Cookies and Snacks
How allergen labelling works for private label cookies and snacks under EU rules, including the 14 legal allergens and how to flag them on pack.
Guides
Allergen Management in a Shared Bakery Facility
How allergen management in a shared bakery works in practice, from segregation and cleaning validation to labelling under EU Regulation 1169/2011.
Recipes
Almond Flour Cookies: Manufacturing Notes
Manufacturing considerations for almond flour cookies, from moisture control and allergen handling to texture differences versus wheat flour.
Insights
Baking vs No-Bake Snack Production
How baked and no-bake snack production differ in process, equipment, shelf life, and cost, and how to decide which route fits your cookie or energy bar concept.
Recipes
Chia and Hemp Seeds in Functional Snacks
How chia and hemp seeds function in bars, energy balls, and cookies, including texture effects, omega-3 claims, and formulation considerations.
Insights
How Cookie Dough Is Mixed at Scale
A look inside cookie dough production at scale, covering mixer types, batching accuracy, dough temperature control, and problems that only show up in volume.
Insights
How Cookies Are Enrobed and Chocolate-Coated
How chocolate enrobing cookies works at production scale, from tempering and coating curtains to cooling tunnels, for brands adding a coated line.
Guides
Quality Control Checkpoints in Cookie Production
The main cookie quality control checkpoints from raw material intake to finished pack, explained for brands who want to know what happens before shipping.
Guides
Shelf Life Testing for Cookies and Snacks
How cookie shelf life is tested, from water activity and packaging trials to accelerated storage studies, explained for a private label launch.
Recipes
Dates as a Binder in Energy Balls
Why dates work as a natural binder in energy balls, how moisture content affects shelf life, and formulation tips for date-based snack production.
Guides
Energy Ball Private Label Manufacturing: A Complete Guide
How energy ball private label manufacturing works, from base ingredients and binders to shelf life, packaging, and MOQs for retailers and emerging snack brands.
Insights
Energy Balls vs Protein Bars: Manufacturing
A manufacturing comparison of energy balls vs protein bars covering ingredients, equipment, shelf life, and cost for sports nutrition and snack brands.
Guides
Nutrition Declaration Requirements in the EU
How the EU nutrition declaration works under Regulation 1169/2011: mandatory nutrients, per-100g rules, rounding, and common cookie label mistakes.
Recipes
Fibre-Enriched Cookies: Formulation Basics
How to formulate high fibre cookies using inulin, oat fibre, and other sources, covering texture effects, digestive tolerance, and label claims.
Insights
Filled Cookies: How Filling and Injection Works
How filled cookie production works, from co-extrusion and injection methods to filling stability and shelf life, for brands planning a filled launch.
Packaging
Flow Wrap vs Doypack: Choosing a Snack Format
Flow wrap vs Doypack compared for private label cookies, bars, and snacks: cost, shelf life, branding space, and which format suits which product.
Guides
Gluten-Free Cookie Co-Packing: What Brands Need to Know
What gluten free cookie private label brands need to know about segregation, ingredient sourcing, testing, and EU labelling before choosing a co-packer.
Recipes
Gluten-Free Flour Alternatives for Cookies
A practical comparison of gluten free flour cookies made with rice, oat, almond, and blended flours, covering texture, binding, and labelling.
Guides
HACCP in Bakery Manufacturing, in Plain English
A plain English explanation of HACCP bakery food safety systems, covering the seven principles and what to actually ask a manufacturer.
Insights
High-Protein Cookie Formulation: The Science
How high protein cookie formulation actually works, from protein source selection and water activity to texture, browning, and shelf life.
Packaging
Nitrogen Flushing and Shelf Life in Flow Wrap
How modified atmosphere packaging snacks with nitrogen flushing extends shelf life in flow wrap, and where it does and does not help.
Recipes
Nut Butter Bases for Energy Balls
How peanut, almond, and cashew butter perform as an energy ball base, with formulation notes on fat content, allergen handling, and shelf stability.
Recipes
Oat Flour Cookies: What to Know
How oat flour performs in cookie formulation, including gluten-free considerations, texture differences, and allergen labelling for oat-based snacks.
Insights
Organic vs Conventional Ingredients
A balanced look at organic cookie ingredients versus conventional ones, covering cost, sourcing, certification, and shelf appeal for private label brands.
Insights
Palm-Oil-Free Baking Fats
Comparing sunflower oil, shea, cocoa butter, and other palm-oil-free fats for cookie manufacturing, with notes on texture, cost, and shelf stability.
Recipes
Plant Protein (Pea and Rice) in Baking
How pea and rice protein isolates perform in cookie dough compared to whey, plus formulation tips for allergen-friendly plant protein cookies.
Packaging
Private Label Cookie Packaging: A Design Guide
A practical guide to private label cookie packaging: choosing formats, meeting EU labelling rules, and designing bags that stand out on shelf.
Guides
Protein Cookie Manufacturing: A Sports Nutrition Guide
How a protein cookie manufacturer formulates and packages high-protein cookies at scale, covering protein sources, texture, shelf life, and EU labelling.
Packaging
Recyclable and Compostable Snack Packaging
What recyclable cookie packaging actually means today, the trade-offs against barrier performance, and how to talk about sustainability honestly.
Guides
From Pilot Batch to Full Production: Scaling a Recipe
How to scale up food production from a pilot batch to full runs without losing texture, flavor, or consistency, and what typically breaks along the way.
Insights
Soft vs Crunchy Cookies: Production Methods
How soft vs crunchy cookies differ in baking method, moisture control, and shelf life, and what each texture means for private label production.
Insights
Stevia vs Erythritol in Cookies
Comparing stevia and erythritol as sugar replacements in cookie formulation, covering sweetness profile, texture impact, and labelling considerations.
Insights
Sugar Reduction in Cookies Without Wrecking Texture
A practical look at reduced sugar cookies: how sugar replacement affects texture, spread, browning, and shelf life, and what actually works.
Recipes
Vegan Binding Agents: Baking Without Egg
A practical guide to egg replacement in baking, comparing flax, aquafaba, applesauce, and commercial binders for vegan cookies, bars, and energy balls.
Guides
Vegan Cookie Manufacturing: Ingredients and MOQs
How a vegan cookie manufacturer replaces dairy and eggs without losing texture, what certifications matter, and what MOQs look like for plant-based lines.
Recipes
Whey Protein in Cookies: A Sourcing Guide
How whey protein concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate perform in baked cookies, with sourcing questions for sports nutrition and snack brands.
Packaging
How to Choose the Right Snack Packaging
Flow-wrap, stand-up pouch, or carton? A practical guide to picking packaging that protects your product and sells it on the shelf.
Guides
EU Food Labelling Requirements for Private Label Cookies (2025)
A practical guide to EU food labelling for private label cookies and snacks: Regulation 1169/2011, allergens, nutrition declarations, and QUID.