In a world where chocolate often symbolizes indulgence and joy, there hides a harsh truth: child labor and slavery taint its path from bean to bar. However, out of this darkness emerged Tony’s Chocolonely, a Dutch chocolate company with a mission to make chocolate 100% slave-free. Here’s their story.
Founding Principles
The company’s origins were rooted in activism. Back in 2001, two American politicians created a stir with the Harkin-Engel protocol. This agreement aimed to get Hershey, Nestle, Mars, and other chocolate giants to ditch child labor and slavery in their cocoa.
How It Began
Fast forward two years. A team of Dutch journalists, including the fearless Teun van de Keuken, investigated what’s actually happening. Turns out, kids were still toiling away on cocoa farms in West Africa.
Frustrated, van de Keuken staged a symbolic arrest, demanding to be held accountable for consuming chocolate potentially tainted by child labor. Unable to convince major chocolate companies to change, van de Keuken and his team decided to create their own solution: Tony’s Chocolonely.
A Lonely Journey
The journey towards creating a slave-free chocolate industry was not without its challenges. Tony’s Chocolonely embarked on a lonely path, confronting the systemic injustices ingrained within the cocoa supply chain. With colorful packaging and a compelling mission, the company sought to raise awareness and drive meaningful change, one chocolate bar at a time.
Impact and Growth
Despite its humble beginnings, Tony’s Chocolonely rapidly gained traction, becoming a household name in the Netherlands and beyond. With revenues reaching $162 million in fiscal year 2023, the company’s commitment to ethical practices resonated with consumers worldwide.
Expansion into the US Market
In 2015, Tony’s Chocolonely made its debut in the United States, captivating American consumers with its unique flavors and compelling story. Today, Tony’s bars are prominently displayed in major retailers across the nation.
Reinvesting Profits
With flavors like sea salt caramel and milk chocolate leading the way, Tony’s Chocolonely continues to carve out a niche in a crowded market dominated by industry giants. While not yet profitable, Tony’s reinvests profits into expanding its U.S. presence and building its “Open Chain” model.
Ethical Sourcing and Transparency
Open Chain allows other chocolate companies to source ethically sourced cocoa beans through Tony’s. Talking to CNBC Make It, CEO Douglas Lamont shared that this initiative aimed to expand Tony’s impact beyond its own brand, fostering industry-wide change.
Tracking Every Bean
Lamont went on to explain how Tony’s Chocolonely tracks every cocoa bean back to its source. The journey starts in West Africa, where the beans are coaxed into creamy cocoa butter. Then, some beans head to Europe or the US for mixing and are transformed into rich liquid chocolate and finally, into those irresistible bars.
Their Mission
But Tony’s Chocolonely isn’t just about deliciousness. They’re on a mission to break the cycle of poverty that can lead to child labor. Lamont explained how when farmers struggle to make ends meet, sometimes children end up working on the farm. That’s why Tony’s fights to ensure farmers get a living wage.
The Challenges
Despite its remarkable growth, Tony’s Chocolonely faces ongoing challenges. In 2021 Tony’s got temporarily removed from a slave-free chocolate list because they partnered with Barry Callebaut, a company that helps process their beans. Tony’s says their beans stay completely separate during processing. This partnership allowed them to make their chocolate mission a global movement.
Instances of Child Labor
Despite this setback, Lamont shared that Tony’s remains laser-focused on getting their beans from West Africa while tackling the challenges the region faces. Lamont highlighted how they report every single instance of child labor they find in their supply chain. In 2023 alone, they found around 1,000 cases.
The Price Surge
Concluding the video, Lamont revealed a surprising trend: while Americans spent more on chocolate than ever before in 2023, they actually ate less of it. That’s a 6% dip in consumption. Lamont blamed the price surge which made chocolate costs a whopping 12% more now.
New Products
But Lamont shared that Tony’s wasn’t just sitting there watching cocoa prices rise. Recently they’ve launched new bite-sized treats and even special seasonal products like advent calendars with a twist.
Optimistic About the Future
Lamont went on to share that even though Tony’s Chocolonely is growing and changing, the original founders are still very much involved. They keep a close eye on the company’s progress as shareholders. Lamont shared that he himself is super optimistic about the future, believing Tony’s Chocolonely can be a force for good in the entire chocolate industry.
Share Your Thoughts
So what do you think? Can Tony’s Chocolonely inspire large-scale change and achieve a 100% slave-free chocolate industry?
