frequently asked questions
most faq's
Why are your bars unequally divided?
To us it doesn't make sense for chocolate bars to be divided into chunks of equal sizes when there is so much inequality in the chocolate industry! The unevenly sized chunks of our 180g bars are a palatable way of reminding our choco friends that the profits in the chocolate industry are shared unevenly.
And in case you haven't noticed, the bottom of our bars represents the Equator. The chunks above are the Gulf of Guinea. Then from left to right you have Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin (terribly politically incorrect, we know, but we had to combine them to create enough space for a hazelnut), Nigeria and part of Cameroon.
How did Tony's come to be?
Who’s Tony??
Do you have a sugar-free bar or one with a sugar substitute?
General
Why is your chocolate Fairtrade?
What about all the other certification systems?
There are all kinds of labels on chocolate packaging. This is because there are several certification systems that operate under different names. Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance (previously Rainforest Alliance and UTZ before they merged in 2018) are independent certificates that follow ISEAL's Codes of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards, and there are also brands that have created their own certification systems such as Mondelez’s Cocoa Life and Nestle’s Cocoa Plan.
Certifications are third party checks on an external set of standards, a kind of compliance check on sustainability for companies. They are however not all the same. There are some fundamental differences between Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance. Fairtrade guarantees a minimum price for their cocoa to protect against market volatilities. Fairtrade believes that farmers are stronger when they join forces, so Fairtrade farmers must be united in a cooperative. Rainforest Alliance places strong emphasis on conservation of the environment and farmers receive a variable premium on top of the market price. They work with cooperatives, as well as independent farmers.
As far as we're concerned, certification is a starting point and the proliferation of certification models makes it harder for consumers to understand what they represent. Euromonitor International’s research in 2018 revealed own labels, such as Cadbury’s Cocoa Life or Nestlé’s Cocoa Plan, could create consumer confusion - ‘Many in-house schemes have yet to resonate; and consumers may be unclear about the changing working relationships between certifiers and brands.’ To create a fairer supply chain we believe that companies have to go further than certification and take full responsibility, that's why we have developed our 5 sourcing principles. We invite any other organisation that sources cocoa to come round for coffee (and chocolate) to learn more about how they can adopt these principles through Tony’s Open Chain.
Do you also consider the environment?
Of course! We expect farmers to treat the environment with respect. And we actively encourage the farmers who supply our beans to implement more environmentally friendly production methods. The cooperatives we work with receive training. This helps minimise the use of pesticides and ensures appropriate and economical use of chemical fertiliser. Deforestation is strictly prohibited. Climate change is an increasingly important issue for Tony's, particularly since cocoa farmers are directly affected. Drought and extreme heat increase the likelihood of failed harvests and affect the quality of the cocoa beans. Yet this is a trend that is expected to increase. At the moment, we offset our emissions through Justdiggit. We'll also be taking steps to reduce our emissions over the next few years. Ultimately, we want to ensure that whenever someone eats a bar of Tony's they're making a positive contribution to the environment.
In 2012, we also changed the wrappers on our bars. We now use uncoated, recycled FSC-certified paper. What?! Believe us, it's better for the environment. It means the wrappers on our bars are not coated with porcelain or kaolin. The paper is made from a mixture of recycled and FSC-certified paper. So, in a past life, the wrapper on your bar might have been the label on a jar of peanut butter or a box of chocolate! FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? And it is. It means the paper originates from sustainably managed forests. The foil we use contains as much recycled material as possible and we've also made it as thin as possible.
Why are your bars unequally divided?
To us it doesn't make sense for chocolate bars to be divided into chunks of equal sizes when there is so much inequality in the chocolate industry! The unevenly sized chunks of our 180g bars are a palatable way of reminding our choco friends that the profits in the chocolate industry are shared unevenly.
And in case you haven't noticed, the bottom of our bars represents the Equator. The chunks above are the Gulf of Guinea. Then from left to right you have Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin (terribly politically incorrect, we know, but we had to combine them to create enough space for a hazelnut), Nigeria and part of Cameroon.