Latest news with #Tony'sChocolonely
Metro
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Tony's Chocolonely releases new version of cult bar and fans say they 'love it'
Ever since its signature brightly-coloured bars hit UK supermarket shelves back in 2019, Tony's Chocolonely has been a cult favourite brand for Brits. Fans love its ethically-produced, tasty chocolate and array of unique flavours — but over the years, some have called on the firm to increase its size range. And now, their prayers have been answered, with a brand new launch which bridges the gap between its previous products. Alongside its original 180g chunky slabs, Tony's later introduced 50g(ish) bars and bitesize chocolate coins for those who prefer smaller servings. However, that still didn't hit the sweet spot for everyone, with Facebook commenter Lori Beth calling the larger bar 'too big' and Mumsnet user Dolleey noting it's 'far too easy to eat' the whole thing. On the brand's Instagram, @wilmasale added: 'A medium size bar would be a nice addition… Small is too small, always want more. Large is too large and I do not have the discipline to eat 1/2 and save the rest.' This new 90g option aims to provide that 'just right' portion they've been searching for — the Goldilocks amount for Tony's Chocolonely customers or, if you will, Tonylocks. Exclusively at Sainsbury's from July 27, the bars are priced at £2.25, with four flavours available: classic milk chocolate, milk caramel sea salt, dark milk pretzel toffee, and vegan dark almond sea salt. Despite the fact they're not even officially out yet, they're already proving a hit, with a @treatsinstore Instagram post on the launch garnering a number of positive comments. 'Love this,' wrote @pauham11. 'Often I don't want a whole bar, and it means buying a bar feels a little more affordable, especially if like me you want to try new flavours a try when they get released.' Earlier this year, the confectioner was forced to clarify the pronunciation of its name, as many of us have apparently 'been saying [it] wrong all this time.' More Trending 'Our full name is Tony's Choco lonely , not Tony's Choco loney ,' read a statement on its website. Brand founder Teun van de Keuken felt Tony was an easier-to-pronounce name than his own, while the 'lonely' element was a nod to his 'lonely fight against exploitation in the cocoa industry.' View More » After selling 13,347,031 kilos of chocolate last year, Teun's mission to change the industry probably feels a little less lonely these days — but if you're wondering why online shopping searches keep turning up nada, remembering his sad story will at least help you get the correct spelling. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Aussie biscuit hailed '10/10' is finally available in the UK MORE: Top UK supermarket launches new subscription pass — with a major Christmas perk MORE: London's 'grown up' ice cream pairings and 14 more things to try this weekend Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
The Citizen
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
World Chocolate Day: South African's favourite chocolates
Today is World Chocolate Day and you can spoil yourself with Dubai Chocolate today or something a little cheaper. Just like all countries have their dishes and cultures, every country's citizens have their preferences when it comes to chocolate, and South Africa is no different. Andrew Fulton, Director at Eighty20, says that chocolate occupies a unique position in the consumer psyche, and few fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products command such an emotional attachment. Recent chocolate trends also show how savvy social media strategies and precise targeting can elevate niche brands into mainstream popularity, he says. Remember a few months ago how everybody wanted to taste Dubai Chocolate? Fulton says this phenomenon sent ripples through South Africa's confectionery landscape. 'Featuring rich textures and premium ingredients like kunefe and pistachio paste, Dubai chocolate captured headlines with its astronomical R1 000 debut price point. While the price later settled at a slightly more accessible R400 at Dischem, the initial buzz already achieved its purpose.' ALSO READ: Dubai chocolate hits SA shelves at R400: Is it worth the price? Taking the Dubai Chocolate trend a little further He says local import and nostalgic candy store, Obsessions Cape Town, not only stocks its handmade dupe of the chocolate but also stocks a dessert version of strawberries smothered in pistachio kunefe, topped with Belgian chocolate. At the end of 2024, Lindt & Sprüngli introduced its limited-edition handmade Lindt Dubai Chocolate in its retail stores. Fulton says the overwhelming success of the flavour prompted the group to develop the Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate with a similar recipe for wholesale. However, the chocolate industry does not only want to make money from consumers. Tony's Chocolonely represents a masterclass in niche marketing through social justice positioning. Fulton says this Dutch confectionery company built its brand around ethical sourcing, fair trade practices, and social justice, with its chocolate bars composed of odd-shaped squares that serve as a visual metaphor for wealth distribution imbalances in the chocolate industry. 'This approach created a passionate, loyal global following. In South Africa, Tony's can be found in a variety of place, from farm stalls and delis to the Checkers Sixty60 app.' ALSO READ: Chocolate is good for you! South Africans' favourites will surprise you Turning to the South African landscape, he notes that a wide range of South Africans consume chocolate, with more than half (52%) of adult South Africans having eaten some form of chocolate in the past month. 'It is safe to assume many more of them (5.2 million in the past 7 days) choose a Bar-One (R14.99 on the Sixty60 app for a 52g bar) rather than premium alternatives like Tony's Chocolonely, which costs 1.5 times more.' According to quarterly MAPS data from the MRF (with a sample size of 20,000 people), the top five chocolate bars South Africans love are Bar-One, Lunch Bar, Aero, Black Cat, and Kit Kat, with a million people eating each of them every week. Interestingly, Black Cat and Aero skew toward higher-income consumers, while South Africans across all income levels like to take a break with a Kit Kat or a Lunch Bar. ALSO READ: Dark chocolate good for blood pressure – study Men and women in SA have different tastes Fulton says that a third of South Africans eat a chocolate bar in any given week. In terms of gender breakdown, women seem to prefer Jungle Energy Bar, Aero, Kit Kat, and Crunchie, while men favour Nosh, Lunch Bar, Black Cat, and 5 Star. In terms of generations, Gen Z consumers prefer Nosh, Lunch Bar and Chomp, while Gen X gravitates toward Aero, Black Cat and Flake. 'There is a steady shift in how people approach chocolate. They want to know where ingredients come from, how products are made and they want more authentic, ethical experiences. At Honest Chocolate, we use single-origin Tanzanian cocoa beans that offer a unique, fruity flavour with bright acidity, which consumers really appreciate,' Anthony Gird, co-founder at Honest Chocolate, says. ALSO READ: The future of chocolate prices remains unpredictable due to challenges Chocolate is getting more expensive, costing 40% more than in 2021 On that note, Fulton says, if you felt chocolate bars are getting smaller and more expensive over the past five years, you are not wrong. Chocolate experienced double-digit inflation in most years since 2020, significantly outpacing consumer inflation, with the bars now 40% more expensive than they were in December 2021. The 11.6% inflation rate in 2024 represents a particularly steep increase, making chocolate a notable casualty of global economic pressures, climate change and supply chain pressures, he says. 'With cocoa prices increasing due to climate change affecting production in West Africa, quality dark chocolate is getting more expensive and that is likely to continue for the next couple of years.' While many consumers associate chocolate with Switzerland, Germany is the world's largest exporter of chocolate, accounting for 16.3% of total exports. Belgium, Poland, Italy, and the Netherlands round out the top five, which make up half of all global exports. The global chocolate export market reached $43.8 billion in 2024, with the US and the United Kingdom importing nearly 20% of that production. ALSO READ: Stephanie Ceranio's chocolate empire started with just R8 000 Four of five exporters are from Africa Africa is Ground Zero for chocolate in its raw form, cocoa beans, with 4 of the top 5 exporters from Africa. They are Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon, responsible for 46% of all cocoa bean exports. 'Chocolate continues to be one of our most beloved guilty pleasures, a small indulgence that delivers big on satisfaction. As we mark World Chocolate Day, it is worth remembering that behind every bar is a fascinating intersection of consumer psychology, global economics and innovative marketing,' Fulton says.
Daily Mirror
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'People say I'm rich for winning Postcode Lottery but prize leaves them floored'
A mum-of-two was shocked after learning her husband entered their family in the People's Postcode lottery without her knowing – and she got a prize she never expected A woman revealed she'd been lucky with the People's Postcode Lottery – and people are seriously surprised by her winnings. Laura, who is passionate about side hustles, often shares her money saving hacks online. And recently, she opened up about what it was like winning a prize in the draw. She joked: "Guess what I've just won, the Postcode Lottery. Now I know what you're thinking - Laura, you must be minted, 'how much did you win?', well I'm about to show you. Jeff Bezos ain't got nothing on me because I've won the Postcode Lottery." The mum-of-two admitted it wasn't quite what she expected, but she seems to be happy all the same. Instead of getting a large amount of cash, she received some items in the post. Laura confessed her husband entered without her knowledge, then picked out some prizes after winning. She pulled these winnings out of the cardboard box with glee. She got four bars of Tony's Chocolonely, L'Occitane skin care, a Pyrex glass storage container, as well as some oven mitts with hens on them. How wonderfully random! Laura added: "Best believe when the parcel came I range my husband and said, 'did we win?, are we rich'. And he told me that we won the option to pick four different items from the website and this is what he chose. "I have no idea what any of the other options might have been so let's pray he picked some good ones... Maybe next time, we'll become rich." People rushed to comment on the video, also not realising that you can get gifts as prizes. One individual said: "I never knew they did prizes like this, I thought it was just money amounts." Another commented: "I thought it was all money prizes. I'm here for the Pyrex and the Tony's." People's Postcode Lottery clarified how non-cash prizes work, and said: "Throughout the year you can check using the Prize Draw Calendar for a full list of any non-cash prizes available each month. "If you're lucky enough to win one of these prizes, you can enjoy them or gift them to family and friends. Prize Vouchers for our Lotteryshop." Players will receive a voucher code they can redeem in the Lotteryshop, where there are typically over 30 different prizes to chose from. You may also win an e-Gift card, and you can spend it at a range of pre-selected national retailers. Plus, you could win a letterbox voucher which is redeemable against a range of preselected prizes.
Daily Mirror
07-06-2025
- 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."
Wales Online
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
You've been pronouncing Tony's chocolate wrong this whole time
You've been pronouncing Tony's chocolate wrong this whole time Tony's Chocolonely is a popular brand known for its ethical approach to chocolate - but it turns out people have no idea what the correct name is Have you been saying it wrong? (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) While browsing the chocolate section, it's difficult to overlook Tony's eye-catching packaging. The brand's vibrant and fun design makes it a favourite among many shoppers. However, despite the prominent display of the brand name on each bar, it seems a lot of people are unaware of the actual name of the brand. Tony's, a Dutch chocolate company, has gained popularity in the UK recently, largely due to its commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. The company's mission, as stated on its website, is to "end all forms of exploitation in the cocoa industry". Yet, it appears that there's been a widespread mispronunciation of the brand's name. Phoebe, an online content creator focused on interior design, revealed her shock upon discovering she had been saying the brand's name incorrectly all along, feeling as though she had been living a "lie". On her @crafternoons TikTok account, 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?" Phoebe expressed her disbelief in the video's caption, writing: "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." Article continues below Content cannot be displayed without consent In response, the official Tony's account playfully commented: "Loney.. lonely.. did we change it overnight.. did we not.." And it seems other chocolate enthusiasts were similarly puzzled. One individual remarked: "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 shared a similar sentiment: "I SWEAR the name changed to lonely. It was defo Chocolony. No one can convince me otherwise." A third person expressed their surprise: "I just had to google the name to make sure you weren't messing! I've called it choco- loney too." On their official blog, Tony's addressed the confusion by confirming that the correct name has always been Chocolonely. They posted: "POV [point of view]: You've been saying our name wrong all this time. We're lone-ly, not loney." They further explained the origin of their name, starting from 2003 when journalist Teun, also known as Tony, van de Keuken undertook an investigation into "human rights abuses in the cocoa industry on a Dutch TV show called Keuringsdienst van Waarde." Researching in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, they reportedly found the illegal labour problems in these countries to be quite severe. Their investigations claimed that 1.56 million children were illicitly working on cocoa farms. After discovering his concerns about industry issues were falling on deaf ears, he opted to set a precedent himself. In 2005, ethically sourced cocoa beans became the foundation of his chocolate bars. Article continues below The company's website provides some backstory: "'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."
