Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s Chocolonely is a brand making headlines for all the right reasons- the manufacture of 100% slave-free chocolate. As a chocolate lover in the UK, you have probably interacted with one of their products. They make delicious chocolates infused with a special recipe to end modern slavery and child labour in the cocoa-producing nations of West Africa. For this reason, Baba Me is proud to include their chocolate products as part of our ethical gifts for sale.
Tony’s Chocolonely Strategic Partnerships
Tony’s Chocolonely has its headquarters in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam. In August 2016, the company announced it had entered into a strategic partnership with Belgian manufacturer Barry Callebaut. Barry Callebaut is the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer.
This partnership allows Barry Callebaut to produce chocolate from traceable beans sourced from the partner cooperative in the Ivory Coast. The chocolate manufacturer has installed a cocoa butter tank dedicated solely to fully traceable and sustainable cocoa used to produce Tony’s Chocolonely products in its factory in Wieze, Belgium. Together, the two companies employ a scalable industry process.
2016 was not the first time the companies decided to work together. Tony’s Chocolonely and Barry Callebaut have been cooperating since Barry Callebaut started producing their Fairtrade cocoa liquor in 2005. By 2013, the manufacturer made chocolate for Chocolonely that included traceable cocoa liquor.
Whereas Barry Callebaut is responsible for producing the chocolate, the company also partners with the Netherlands biggest food retailer, Albert Heijn. Albert Heijn was the first big company to sign up for Tony’s Open Chain platform. The retailer will source cocoa, based on the ethical sourcing principles. The five principles are;
1. Traceable cocoa beans
Trade directly with farmers and cooperatives with an understanding of who produces the cocoa beans and the social circumstances involved.
2. A higher price
Pay cocoa farmers a price above the fairtrade premium to enable them earn a sustainable living income and run their farm.
3. Strong Farmers
Work to professionalize farms and farming cooperatives to allow farmers to achieve economies of scale.
4. The Long Term
Work with farmers and cooperatives for at least five years to give them income and investment security.
5. Improved Productivity and Less Dependency on Cocoa
By following the above principles when sourcing cocoa, the Dutch retailer helps promote equality in the chocolate industry. Barry Callebaut, on the other hand, can process cocoa butter that is fully traceable. Tony’s Chocolonely can thus provide a fully sustainable 100% slave-free chocolate to its customers. Working together, the three companies apply pressure on the chocolate industry to drive change towards a more sustainable and equal cocoa chain.
Tony’s Chocolonely is a force for change in today’s chocolate industry. By pushing for change in how companies deal with farmers, the company aims to save farmers from poverty and children from the shackles of child labour. You can help too. Every bar you buy makes the dream of a 100% slave-free chocolate industry more realizable.
