Tony's Chocolonely
A Dutch chocolate company built around traceable cocoa sourcing and the goal of ending slavery and illegal child labor in chocolate supply chains. American food brand
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Tony's Chocolonely is a Dutch chocolate manufacturer and retailer founded in 2005 by journalist and television producer Teun van de Keuken. The company emerged from investigative reporting on exploitation in the cocoa industry and developed into a consumer brand whose commercial identity is inseparable from supply-chain activism. Its name combines Tony, an English rendering of Teun, with Chocolonely, expressing van de Keuken's early sense that he was nearly alone in trying to confront exploitation in mainstream chocolate production. Van de Keuken began investigating cocoa-sector labor conditions through the Dutch television program Keuringsdienst van Waarde in 2003. After unsuccessful attempts to prompt legal action against chocolate consumers and producers connected to illegal labor practices, he created his own chocolate bar as a public demonstration. The first production sold approximately 20,000 bars in two days. The launch helped turn a labor-rights investigation into a recognizable retail proposition: brightly colored packaging, deliberately uneven bar segments, and prominent explanations of cocoa sourcing and industry economics. The unevenly divided bars symbolize the unequal distribution of value and income in the chocolate chain. Tony's positions itself as a premium ethical chocolate brand, but its proposition extends beyond product attributes. The company promotes a set of sourcing principles centered on traceability, long-term farmer relationships, higher payments, and action against child labor, slavery, and deforestation. Its cocoa mass has reportedly been fully traceable since 2013 and its cocoa butter since 2016. In 2019, the company launched Tony's Open Chain, a sourcing platform intended to encourage other chocolate companies to adopt more transparent and responsible cocoa procurement. The business expanded from the Netherlands into neighboring European markets and the United States. It opened its first U.S. office in Portland, Oregon, in 2015, later closed that office, and moved its U.S. headquarters to New York City in 2020. By 2018, the brand was sold in several Northern and Western European countries as well as the United States. It entered the United Kingdom in 2019 through retailers including Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado, Oxfam, and Whole Foods, while Irish availability expanded from limited distribution in 2019 to major grocery stores in 2020. Tony's sells large, small, and miniature bars, seasonal products, gift formats, and a rotating flavor selection. Its portfolio includes milk, dark, extra-dark, white, caramel, sea-salt, nut, nougat, pretzel, toffee, coconut, and popping-candy combinations. Flavor availability varies by country. Limited editions and retailer-exclusive releases are used to attract attention and test products, with some temporary flavors becoming permanent. The company has also faced scrutiny that reflects the difficulty of operating ethically in a complex cocoa economy. In 2021, Slave Free Chocolate removed Tony's from its ethical-company list because of Tony's partnership with Barry Callebaut, whose wider supply chain has been linked to child-labor concerns; the removal did not confirm a child-labor case in Tony's own supply chain. In 2024, a campaign in Germany and Austria used packaging visually inspired by major chocolate brands to criticize industry labor practices. Mondelez International sued over the campaign, and Tony's was prohibited from selling chocolate using the color purple in Germany. In September 2024, Feastables joined Tony's Open Chain. Tony's continues to combine branded chocolate sales with public advocacy, supply-chain disclosure, and pressure for industry reform.
History
Tony's Chocolonely developed from a Dutch television investigation into labor exploitation in cocoa production. In 2003, journalist and producer Teun van de Keuken used Keuringsdienst van Waarde to examine the relationship between commercial chocolate and slavery or child labor. When legal and industry responses failed to produce meaningful change, van de Keuken decided to make a chocolate bar himself as a protest and educational device. The first bars appeared in 2005 under the name Tony's Chocolonely. Tony referred to Teun, while Chocolonely reflected his perception that he was unusually isolated in challenging exploitation in the sector. The initial product was not conceived simply as a confectionery launch: its packaging and public narrative explained the labor problem and asked consumers to consider how chocolate was made. Around 20,000 bars were sold in the first two days, giving the project enough momentum to become a continuing business. The young company faced legal and regulatory issues in 2007. A Dutch importer of Swiss chocolate sued Tony's, but an Amsterdam court found sufficient evidence that Tony's products had been produced without slave labor. Separately, the Dutch Media Authority concluded that repeated promotion on the television program produced more-than-normal commercial gains and fined the broadcaster €20,000. These events established an early tension that would remain central to the brand: Tony's used media and advocacy to sell chocolate while presenting sales as a means of changing the industry. Tony's continued to revise its sourcing practices. In 2010, after a television report connected Turkish hazelnut harvesting with the participation of nine-year-old children, the company immediately switched to a Dutch hazelnut supplier. That year, its Dutch market share exceeded 4.5 percent. Henk Jan Beltman became a majority shareholder in 2011 and moved the business to a new site near the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam. Cocoa mass became fully traceable in 2013, followed by cocoa butter in 2016. International expansion began in earnest in 2015, when Tony's opened an office in Portland, Oregon. The Portland office later closed, and the U.S. headquarters moved to New York City in 2020. By the end of 2018, the brand was sold in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the United States. Its Dutch market share reached approximately 18 to 19 percent in 2018, allowing it to overtake established chocolate brands including Verkade, Mars, and Nestlé in that market. The company entered the United Kingdom in 2019 and expanded Irish distribution during 2020. In 2019, Tony's created Open Chain to share sourcing principles with other manufacturers rather than limiting its model to its own brand. The initiative focuses on traceability, farmer relationships, and responsible cocoa procurement. Partner participation has included Ben & Jerry's, Aldi, Waitrose, and, from September 2024, Feastables. Tony's ethical claims have also attracted criticism. In 2021, Slave Free Chocolate removed the company from its list after considering Tony's partnership with Barry Callebaut, whose wider supply chain had been linked to child-labor problems. The episode illustrated the difficulty of claiming a slave-free product while relying on suppliers operating across a broader industry with uneven labor controls. Tony's nevertheless continued its transparency and advocacy program and later received recognition, including the 2022 Stop Slavery Award. It ranked second in the 2023 Chocolate Scorecard and first in the medium-to-large-company category of the 2025 edition. The brand uses marketing as an advocacy tool. In early 2024, temporary wrappers in Germany and Austria imitated visual cues associated with major chocolate brands, including Milka, to criticize the sector's reliance on large suppliers and draw attention to child labor. Mondelez sued, and the campaign resulted in a German restriction on selling chocolate using the color purple. Tony's remains an active private chocolate company whose identity combines retail growth, distinctive product design, traceable sourcing, and pressure for structural change in cocoa production.
- 2024
Feastables joins Open Chain
[1]Feastables becomes a partner in Tony's cocoa-traceability initiative.
- 2019
Open Chain launches
[1]The company launches a collaborative cocoa-sourcing initiative for other chocolate businesses.
- 2015
First U.S. office opens
[1]Tony's opens an international office in Portland, Oregon.
- 2013
Cocoa mass becomes fully traceable
[1]Tony's reports full traceability for its cocoa mass.
- 2011
Henk Jan Beltman becomes majority shareholder
[1]Beltman becomes a majority shareholder and relocates the company near Amsterdam's Westergasfabriek.
- 2007
Court supports slave-free production evidence
[1]An Amsterdam court finds sufficient evidence that Tony's products were made without slave labor.
- 2005
Tony's Chocolonely is founded
[1]Van de Keuken launches chocolate bars as a protest against exploitation; the first 20,000 bars sell in two days.
- 2003
Investigation into cocoa exploitation begins
[1]Teun van de Keuken investigates slavery and child labor in the cocoa industry through Dutch television.
Products and positioning
Premium ethical chocolate combined with activist branding, traceable cocoa sourcing, and advocacy against slavery and illegal child labor.
Chocolate bars · 2005
Large chocolate bars
The core range consists of large bars, commonly sold in 180-gram formats, with milk, dark, extra-dark, white, caramel, sea-salt, nut, nougat, pretzel, toffee, coconut, and fruit-oriented combinations. The irregularly divided segments are a visual symbol of unequal value distribution in cocoa supply chains.
Chocolate bars
Small and Tiny Tony's bars
Smaller formats, including approximately 50-gram bars and 9-gram Tiny Tony's pieces, extend the range into snacking, sampling, gifting, and promotional use. Availability varies by market.
Chocolate bar
Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt
A signature milk chocolate combination of caramel and sea salt. It is one of the brand's best-known mainstream offerings and illustrates Tony's use of familiar indulgent flavor profiles within an ethical-brand proposition.
Chocolate bar
Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt
A dark chocolate bar combining almonds with sea salt. It belongs to the nut-and-salt segment of Tony's range and is offered in selected markets.
Seasonal confectionery
Seasonal chocolate products
The company sells seasonal products such as Easter eggs, holiday bars, advent calendars, and gift formats. Seasonal and limited-edition releases provide localized flavors and periodic product rotation.
Controversies
2024
Dispute over purple-wrapper campaign
Mondelez sued Tony's over wrappers resembling famous chocolate brands. Tony's was subsequently prohibited from selling chocolate using the color purple in Germany.
2021
Removal from Slave Free Chocolate list
Slave Free Chocolate removed Tony's after reviewing its relationship with Barry Callebaut, whose wider supply chain had child-labor concerns. The episode challenged the boundaries of Tony's slave-free claims but did not identify a confirmed child-labor case in Tony's own supply chain.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024Brand-alike wrapper campaign
Germany · Austria
Temporary wrappers borrowed recognizable visual cues from major chocolate brands to call attention to child labor and the practices of large cocoa suppliers. Mondelez litigation led to a German restriction on selling chocolate using the color purple.
Outcome. Mondelez litigation led to a German restriction on selling chocolate using the color purple.
- 2019Open Chain
Global
Tony's created an open sourcing initiative intended to help other chocolate companies use more transparent and responsible cocoa supply chains. Multiple companies joined as partners, including Ben & Jerry's, Aldi, Waitrose, and Feastables.
Outcome. Multiple companies joined as partners, including Ben & Jerry's, Aldi, Waitrose, and Feastables.
- 2005Protest chocolate launch
Netherlands
Tony's launched its first bars as a public protest against slavery and child labor in cocoa production, turning an investigative story into a consumer product. The initial run sold approximately 20,000 bars in two days and developed into a continuing brand.
Outcome. The initial run sold approximately 20,000 bars in two days and developed into a continuing brand.
Brand decisions
2024
Respond to Mondelez wrapper lawsuitOtherBackground
Tony's used temporary wrappers inspired by major chocolate brands in an awareness campaign about child labor.
Action taken
The campaign continued as a public advocacy effort but resulted in legal restrictions in Germany after Mondelez challenged the design.
Aftermath
Tony's was barred from selling chocolate using the color purple in Germany.
- Mondelez International — Mondelez brought legal action over the campaign's visual similarity to its brands.
2019
Launch Open ChainStrategyBackground
Tony's argued that reform limited to one brand could not address structural problems in the cocoa industry.
Action taken
The company established Open Chain to promote transparent cocoa sourcing among multiple chocolate manufacturers and retailers.
Aftermath
The initiative attracted partners including Ben & Jerry's, Aldi, Waitrose, and Feastables.
2010
Switch hazelnut supplierStrategyBackground
A television report associated Turkish hazelnut harvesting with the participation of nine-year-old children.
Action taken
Tony's immediately moved to a local Dutch hazelnut supplier.
Aftermath
The move reinforced the company's stated preference for scrutinized and traceable sourcing.
Recent events
- 2024
Feastables joins Tony's Open Chain[1]
M&A
Feastables became a partner of Open Chain, joining companies such as Ben & Jerry's, Aldi, and Waitrose in the sourcing initiative.
- 2022
Tony's receives Thomson Reuters Foundation Stop Slavery Award[1]
Other
Tony's won in the goods and services category for work addressing slavery, illegal child labor, and human trafficking in supply chains.
- 2019
Tony's launches Open Chain[1]
Other
Tony's introduced Open Chain as a collaborative sourcing initiative intended to make cocoa supply chains more transparent and support slave-free procurement.
- 2019
Tony's expands into the United Kingdom[1]
Other
The brand entered the British retail market through chains and organizations including Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado, Oxfam, and Whole Foods.
- 2015
Tony's opens U.S. operation[1]
Other
The company expanded internationally by opening its first U.S. office in Portland, Oregon.
- 2010
Tony's changes hazelnut supplier after child-labor report[1]
Other
After reporting linked Turkish hazelnut harvesting to nine-year-old workers, Tony's replaced the relevant supplier with a local Dutch source.
- 2007
Amsterdam court rules Tony's chocolate had sufficient evidence of slave-free production[1]
Lawsuit
The ruling followed a lawsuit by a Dutch importer of Swiss chocolate and accepted evidence that Tony's products had not been made with slave labor.
- 2007
Dutch media regulator fines broadcaster over Tony's promotion[1]
Regulation
The Dutch Media Authority concluded that repeated exposure on Keuringsdienst van Waarde generated unusually high commercial benefit for Tony's and fined the program's broadcaster €20,000.
- 2005
Tony's Chocolonely is established after cocoa-industry investigation[1]
Other
Teun van de Keuken created the brand after investigative television work highlighted exploitation in cocoa production. The first 20,000 bars sold within two days.
Sources9 sources
- 1Tony's Chocolonelyen.wikipedia.org
- 2Tony's Chocolonely official websitetonyschocolonely.com
- 3Aldi partners with Tony’s Chocolonely to launch own-label chocolate bar in UKconfectionerynews.com
- 4BrewDog unveils details of Tony’s Chocolonely beer collaborationthegrocer.co.uk
- 5Noah Centineo's Favored Nations Launches New Campaign to Encourage Young People to Voteseventeen.com
- 6Tony’s Chocolonely launches collaboration beer with BrewDogbeveragedaily.com
- 7Tony’s Chocolonely launches collaboration beer with BrewDogconfectionerynews.com
- 8Tony’s Chocolonely opens its supply chain platform to other chocolate makersconfectionerynews.com
- 9Tony’s launches ‘iconic’ look-alikes in ethical cocoa campaign: ‘Your favourite chocolate can be made better’foodnavigator.com
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