The dutch fair chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely is on a serious mission: it has set its goal to end slavery and child labour in the chocolate industry. What sounds like a story from the 19th century turns out to be quite an ambitious goal: the cocoa sector, worth more than $100 billion per year, is still one of the “dirtiest“, with severe forms of poor labour and exploitation being common practice in its supply chains.
Cocoa: a dirty industry behind a guilty pleasure
Much like other food industries, the chocolate industry has a dirty little secret. A few big players control around 70 % of the world‘s cocoa market, allowing them to make tremendous profits. Those margins are only possible because the farmers who grow the cocoa beans are paid almost nothing. An average cocoa farmer in Ivory Coast earns as little as $0,78 a day. Even for West Africa, this is far from enough to make a living, let alone sustain an entire family – impossible to escape the conditions of extreme poverty. Many farmers have to send their children to work, or see themselves forced to use unpaid labour on their plantations. A 2015 report from Tulane University and the US Department of Labor revealed that in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, the two biggest cocoa producing countries, more than 2,1 million children are believed to work in „hazardous conditions“ on cocoa plantations. Yet, despite this open secret, most of the international chocolate companies prefer to turn a blind eye on those conditions in their supply chains.
From a crazy idea to the most-bought national chocolate brand
The founder of Tony’s Chocolonely, Teun van de Keuken, believes that chocolate doesn’t need to be a guilty pleasure. That’s also why the TV journalist couldn’t quite believe what he found out when he was originally researching for a TV documentary in 2004. Delving into his investigations and confronted with the facts about how an entire industry is basing its profit on slavery and exploitation, he‘s determined to take action. As the international companies refuse to talk to him, he opts for a rather unconventional method: he eats a couple of chocolate bars and turns himself in to the Dutch authorities as a „chocolate criminal“. While the court is investigating the case, van de Keuken decides to launch his own, slave and child labour free chocolate brand in 2005. Unable to find a company supporting his idea, he has to set up his own supply chain. That’s how the name “Tony’s Cocolonely“ was born, a name carrying a mission that‘s way bigger than “just“ sourcing slave-free chocolate: Van de Keuken has ambitiously set his head to end slavery and child labour in all cocoa supply chains worldwide. 15 years after founding Tony‘s, his vision has begun to spread into international markets after becoming the number one chocolate brand in its home country in December 2017.
How does it work?
The road to change leads across three measures: raise awareness for the issue, lead by example and inspire to act. Not only on its colourful chocolate wrappers does the company inform the public about the conditions in the cocoa supply chains and the uneven distribution of the money made from chocolate. Tony’s is also very active in raising awareness on a broad scale, engaging in discussions with important stakeholders in the economic and political sphere. As an example, it has actively promoted the Zorgpflicht Kinderarbeid Act which was adopted by the Dutch Government in mid 2019. Tony’s mission is shaped by the will to find sustainable solutions to end the complex conditions of poverty in West Africa which lie at the root of the problem. Its business is guided by the following sourcing principles:
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- 100 % traceability
- higher price for cocoa beans
- investments in farmer collectives
- education
- long-term relationships
- improving productivity & quality
Because certified and fair traded beans are a step into the right direction but not enough, Tony’s has developed a model that calculates the price they need to pay the farmers so they can make a living with their harvests. This Living Income Reference Price is $2,20 for Ivory Coast and $2,10 for Ghana. Besides taking action for fairness in the cocoa supply chain, Tony’s also addresses cross-cutting issues, like climate change or education.
“Money is a means, not a goal, ever.“
Tony‘s Chocolonely Fair Report 2018/2019
One measure to ensure sustainability in their supply chains includes GPS mapping to combat deforestation. Driving sustainable change also means to improve basic needs like education, sanitation systems and health care, or promoting alternative sources of income.
A big goal with big impacts
On their way to change the chocolate industry for the better, Tony’s aims to enable other businesses to adapt their approach. That’s why they have launched an open chain platform where they share their knowledge and tools. In 2019, they have signed contracts with their first mission partner, Netherlands‘ biggest retailer Albert Heijn, which is now buying its cocoa according to Tony’s sourcing principles. Tony’s mission is having growing impacts on the chocolate industry. After taking over the lead in the dutch chocolate market, the brand has set its mind to entering international markets. Its colourful bars can now be found in 22 countries, including Germany, UK and US, but also Greece, Kuwait and Tokyo. While a substantial part of their turnover already derives from international sales, Tony’s is still showing the biggest impact in its home country, where it has contributed to raise the awareness of modern slavery in cocoa plantations among consumers to 71 %. And they don’t even think about giving up before their overall mission, putting an end to child labour and slavery in cocoa cultivation, is completed.
“If you think you‘re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.“
Henk Jan Beltmann
The 2018/2019 annual report opens with a strong sentence: “Money is a means, not a goal, ever.“ This is also the belief that perpetuates Tony‘s mission. “The reason that we are a company is not that we want to sell chocolate and not that we want to make money“, says Henk Jan Beltman, chief chocolate officer. “We want to make the world a nicer place.“ Until then, Tony‘s Chocolonely will keep following its mantra: “If you think you‘re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.“
