Latest news with #Tony's
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Tony's chocolate fans are just finding out how it's meant to be pronounced
One woman has shared her disbelief after she realised she's been saying the name of popular ethical chocolate brand Tony's wrong her whole life - and she's not the only one Strolling down the chocolate aisle, it's tough to overlook Tony's eye-catching wrappers that make it a firm favourite for many. Yet, despite the brand name emblazoned across each chocolate bar in unmissable letters, it seems a lot of us have been getting the name wrong. The Dutch confectionery company has won over Brits lately, not just for its delicious treats but also for its commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. Tony's mission is clear on their website: they aim to "end all forms of exploitation in the cocoa industry". However, a revelation has surfaced that we've been mispronouncing the brand's name all along. Phoebe, an interior design enthusiast who shares her updates online, recently had an epiphany about her own mispronunciation of the brand, which she felt turned her world upside down. On her @crafternoons TikTok page, Phoebe confessed: "I just realised it's not Tony's Choco-loney. It's Tony's Choco-lonely. I've been saying Tony's Chocoloney this whole time. Tony's Chocolonely. What?" She further questioned things in her video's caption, saying: "Please tell me I'm not the only one who's been getting this wrong. Tony's Chocolonely. Questioning who I really am at this point. Feels like my chocoholic status is a lie." To add to the mix-up, Tony's official account cheekily commented: "Loney... lonely... did we change it overnight... did we not...", adding a playful twist to the confusion. It seems that many fans of the chocolate brand have been left scratching their heads, unsure of its actual name. One person claimed: "No, I swear I did an assignment on this at uni about fair trade chocolate. It was Tony's Chocoloney - I think they just rebranded." Another individual shared the same theory, saying: "I SWEAR the name changed to lonely. It was defo Chocolony. No one can convince me otherwise." A third person even admitted to double-checking the name online, saying: "I just had to Google the name to make sure you weren't messing! I've called it choco-loney too." However, Tony's Chocolonely has since set the record straight in a blog post on their website. They clarified: "POV [point of view]: You've been saying our name wrong all this time. We're lone-ly, not loney." The company went on to explain the origins of their name, which dates back to 2003 when journalist Teun, also known as Tony, van de Keuken investigated human rights abuses in the cocoa industry on a Dutch TV show called Keuringsdienst van Waarde. The investigation, which focused on Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, uncovered a serious issue with illegal labour, including an estimated 1.56 million children working on cocoa farms. Tony's Chocolonely's name has been a point of confusion for many, but the company has finally put the record straight, confirming that it's always been Chocolonely, not Chocoloney. When his warnings about the scale of the issue fell on deaf ears, he took matters into his own hands. In 2005, he unveiled a range of chocolate bars crafted from ethically sourced cocoa beans. The company's website explains: "'Cause Tony is easier to pronounce than Teun, he decided to brand these bars 'Tony's Chocolonely' – a nod to Teun's lonely fight against exploitation in the cocoa industry."
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside the small business success story of Tony's Chocoloney, which rakes in $162 million yearly thanks to influencers and Gen Z values
Tony's Chocolonely is a small business success story. Launched in 2005, the independent chocolate company has become a $162 million staple among young shoppers, competing with the likes of Lindt and Hershey. It has social media and Gen Z values to thank. Sandwiched between Ghirardelli truffles and bags of Lindt on store shelves are colorful chocolate bars emblazoned with funky lettering: Tony's Chocoloney products stand out. Despite having less name recognition and higher prices than competitors, the Dutch chocolate is fast becoming a staple among young Americans. The small sweets company was founded in 2005, but most devout fans probably didn't hear about it until the past couple years. It's now partnering with the likes of Ben & Jerry's, ALDI, and Feastables, raking in $162 million annually with its chocolate bars and other treats. Gen Z and millennials in particular are fueling that growth—hungry for a sweet snack with a deeper purpose. Since the beginning, Tony's has operated with two things in mind: the company mission and product taste. The brand established itself as a fair cocoa producer in an industry riddled with forced labor and exploitation. Unwrap one of Tony's chocolate bars, and you won't find it divvied up in pretty little squares; its uneven pieces represent the wealth inequality in West Africa's chocolate production. Affluent young buyers—known for putting money where their values are—are on board with a $6 chocolate bar. They're already in the candy aisles of Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart, with Costco and Kroger coming up. 'People want mission-driven brands. They want premium, and they want better for you—either better or healthier ingredients,' Dusan Vujovic, head of North America for Tony's, tells Fortune. 'This is a natural trend that Tony's fits into. Our consumers are younger, higher-income consumers that retailers really want to get back into the stores. They all fight for that type of consumer.' To drive its messaging and products, Tony's has partnered with like-minded brands including The Washington Post, through its 'Conversation Starter Bundle' featuring chocolate bars wrapped in packaging designed exclusively by the publication's creative team. The business also joined forces with the Radio City Rockettes several times, creating exclusive candy bars and handing out samples after the iconic holiday shows in New York. Most notably, however, is Tony's connection with Ben & Jerry's—another iconic brand known for its activism and fan-favorite flavors. The ice cream giant signed up to 'Tony's Open Chain' network, sourcing cocoa for its products through Tony's supply system. ALDI, Waitrose, and Feastables have also joined the pledge. While Tony's has been around for two decades, it didn't actually turn to advertising until it found an organic way to connect with consumers. Social media was the entry point. 'We only started advertising two, three years ago. Before that, we were very anti-media,' Aidaly Sosa Walker, head of U.S. marketing for Tony's, tells Fortune. It all started with one viral TikTok trend: people pouring espresso over chocolate bars, slowly melting the bar into their mug before the coffee pours over. It was satisfying to watch—and Tony's saw it as the perfect viral moment to get their products into the cultural zeitgeist. 'We saw that trend, which was using chocolate. So then we started working closer with this influencer sending more products,' Walker says. 'We then identified multiple trends that we could tap into.' Tony's leaned into the social media craze, partnering with influencers across foodie, homemaking, and cooking communities on TikTok and Instagram. The company says a lot of this traction was natural—even among celebrities like Pharrel Williams and Idris Elba, who have shared their endorsements. Their advertising blew up after Tony's hit the shelves of Walmart in 2022; reaching more shoppers of different socioeconomic classes, the money-making success afforded a nicer marketing allowance. 'We were like, 'Okay, we have a little bit of budget now, so let's actively pick a few influencers that can speak to the mass chocolate audience, and to the Walmart shopper,'' Walker explains. 'So we had a few influencers that we worked with that would go into Walmart, buy their chocolate, take it home, try it in the car, and do reviews.' Another reason why Tony's social media advertising strategy has worked so well is because there's an emotional draw in the marketing. Young, chronically online consumers are known to have parasocial relationships with their favorite influencers. Watching their glowing endorsements of Tony's as a sweet treat—and premium product—fosters a bond with the brand and drives the idea of the chocolate as a personal experience. 'It's really adding to that emotional experience,' Walker says. 'People feel like, 'Okay, when I have this chocolate, it's for me, it's my treat. It's the moment to myself.' We see there's an increase in consumer experience with that…having a moment of sanity has become more important.' The chocolate industry is a tough nut to crack—a select few chocolatiers have the name recognition to withstand the test of time. Tony's Chocolonely has already made space for itself with an international team of less than 500 employees, and a marketing budget dwarfed by giants like Cadbury, Mars, and Toblerone. For other small businesses looking to enter a crowded market, Vujovic and Walker lay out five factors to keep in mind in advertising with a limited budget. Tony's marketing and sales teams are in 'lockstep,' instead of being further apart. Joining forces helps reinforce brand messaging. Despite being in business for two decades, Tony's didn't go full throttle in the U.S. until a few years ago. That's because it didn't adopt the typical 'move fast and break things' business mentality. Tony's understood that its shoppers were young, affluent, and mission-driven, so it found the best way to push the brand was through popular social media trends. As companies expand internationally, they must understand how their markets respond to their products. Through data collection, Tony's knew U.S. shoppers were less value-driven than U.K. buyers, so marketed to each differently. Tony's calls its whimsical chocolate bar packaging its 'billboards,' as the bold wrapping on grocery shelves stands out among the flat color palettes. The eye always eats first. This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Popular Chocolate Bars Recalled Because They May Contain Stones
Reason for Recall: A chance the candy may contain small stones. Distribution: The products were distributed throughout the United States. Tony's Chocolonely Everything BarUPCs: 850011828564, 850011828564, 850011828564, 850032676441Corresponding Lot Codes: 4327, 4330, 4331, M4331Corresponding Best-By Dates: November 22, 25, 26, and 26, 2025 Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt BarUPCs: 858010005641, 858010005641, 850011828908Corresponding Lot Codes: 163094, 162634, M162634Corresponding Best-By Dates: April 2, 2026, February 28, 2026, and February 28, 2026Certain chocolate bars have been recalled by manufacturer Tony's Chocolonely because there's a chance the candy may contain small stones. Tony's Chocolonely Inc. is voluntarily recalling seven lots of Tony's brand Dark Almond Sea Salt Bar and Tony's Everything Bar. The Everything Bar is milk chocolate with caramel, pretzels, almond nougat, and sea salt. The company launched the recall after receiving a dozen reports of consumers finding small stones in the chocolate bars. According to Tony's, the stones were 'not filtered during third-party almond harvesting and the almond processing process.' The products were distributed throughout the United States and sold in retail stores and online. The stones found were between 6 and 13 mm. There is concern that they could injure someone's mouth or be a choking hazard. None of the reports came from the United States or Canada, and there were no injuries reported. 'Whilst the chance of any individual product being affected is low, and we have not yet received any complaints in North America, we have decided to take this step in order to ensure the safety and satisfaction of Tony's Chocolonely consumers in an abundance of caution,' the company said in a statement. The recalled candy in the U.S. was distributed from Feb. 7, 2025, through March 24, 2025. Here's how to tell if you have any of the chocolate in question. No other Tony's products were affected. Tony's Chocolonely Everything Bar (4 Lots Affected) Size: 6.35 ounces (180 grams) Lot code: 4327Best Before/Best By Date: 22-Nov-25UPC: 850011828564 Lot code: 4330Best Before/Best By Date: 25-Nov-25UPC: 850011828564 Lot code: 4331Best Before/Best By Date: 26-Nov-25UPC: 850011828564 Lot code: M4331Best Before/Best By Date: 26-Nov-25UPC: 850032676441 Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt Bar (3 Lots Affected) Size: 6.35 ounces (180 grams) Lot code: 163094Best Before/Best By Date: 2-Apr-26UPC: 858010005641 Lot code: 162634Best Before/Best By Date: 28-Feb-26UPC: 858010005641 Lot code: M162634Best Before/Best By Date: 28-Feb-26UPC: 850011828908 Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt BarSize: 180 gramsLot code: 162697 Tony's Chocolonely Everything BarSize: 180 gramsLot code: 4332 If you have any of the recalled Tony's candy bars, don't eat them. Throw the candy away or return the product to the store where you bought it for a replacement or refund. If you bought it through Amazon, contact the site for a refund. You can also contact Tony's directly via the company's website. Tony's Chocolonely is based in the Netherlands, but the U.S. headquarters are in New York City. Read the original article on SIMPLYRECIPES
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tony's Chocolonely issues recall after ‘small stones' found in chocolate bars
Tony's Chocolonely Inc. issued a voluntary recall for its Tony's brand Dark Almond Sea Salt Bar and Everything Bar because the products may contain small stones. The two bars were sold nationwide via retail stores and The product was distributed from Feb. 7 to March 24. The recalled products have the following SKU and lot codes: Product Description Weight Lot code Best Before /Best By Date UPC Tony's Chocolonely Everything Bar 180g / 6.35 oz 4327 22-Nov-25 850011828564 4330 25-Nov-25 850011828564 4331 26-Nov-25 850011828564 M4331 26-Nov-25 850032676441 Tony's Chocolonely Dark ChocolateAlmond Sea Salt 180g / 6.35 oz 163094 2-Apr-26 858010005641 162634 28-Feb-26 858010005641 M162634 28-Feb-26 850011828908 No other lot codes are included in this recall. No other Tony's products are affected. No injuries have been reported yet. The voluntary recall was initiated after 12 reports of consumers finding small stones in the product 'not filtered during third-party almond harvesting and the almond processing process,' Tony's Chocolonely said in a media release. The company advises returning the product to the store of purchase for a refund or replacement or disposing of it. If the bars were purchased online, a refund can be requested online here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Popular Chocolate Bars Recalled Due to Foreign Objects—Get the Details Here
Before you dive into that afternoon treat, you may want to take a good look at that chocolate bar. Some varieties of Tony's Chocolonely Bars have been recalled due to small stones being found in some of the products. The affected bars include Tony's Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt Bar (6.35oz); and Everything Bar (6.35oz), distributed between February 7th, 2025 and March 24th, 2025 in stores, online, or on the Tony's Chocolonely website. To determine if your chocolate bars are impacted, you'll want to check for the following lot codes and UPC codes on the side of the wrapper. Tony's Chocolonely Everything Bar: Best by dates: 22-Nov-25, 25-Nov-25, 26-Nov-25 Lot codes: 4327, 4330, 4331, M4331 UPC: 850011828564, 850032676441 Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt Bar: Best by dates: 2-Apr-26, 28-Feb-26 Lot codes: 163094, 162634, M162634 UPC: 858010005641, 850011828908 Related: What to Do If You Have Recalled Food In Your Kitchen The recall was initiated after a dozen consumers reported finding small stones in their chocolate, as the third-party almond processor did not properly filter stones out of the nuts, according to the FDA recall notice. So far, no injuries have been reported, and no reports of stones in the chocolate are from the U.S. or Canada, but Tony's is recalling the products as a precaution. If you have an affected product, throw it out or return it to the store for a refund or replacement. If you bought it from the Tony's Chocolonely website, you can request a refund on the site's dedicated recall page. If you bought a product with an affected lot code from Amazon, you can initiate a refund through Amazon. If you have any questions about the recall, you can contact Tony's at mailus@ or call 503-388-5990. Related: The Top 6 Causes of Food Recalls—and the States Most Often Impacted Read the original article on Real Simple
